ADAMS TOWNSHIP — A year after winning the tournament title, East Clinton finished 0-2 this weekend in the Craycraft Tipoff Classic tournament at Clinton-Massie’s Brian P. Mudd Court.

The Astros dropped the consolation game 40-31 Saturday to Cincinnati Woodward.

Lauren Runyon, who missed all of last year with an injury suffered in volleyball, led East Clinton with 19 points.

“She’s our most valuable player,” East Clinton head coach Bill Bean said. “She’s still slow getting started because she missed all of last year with her knee surgery. She’s a very good player for us, was an all-league player as a sophomore so we know what she can do.”

Woodward’s Tarrah Adams kicked off the games scoring with a tough put-back over multiple Astros. Runyon came right back at Woodward, knocking down a tough midrange shot. Points however became hard to come by as both teams struggled with turnovers.

With 41 seconds remaining in the first period, an errant pass from EC resulted in a turnover. Adams then found her way to the line knocking down both free throws giving Woodward an 8-4 lead. Runyon answered right back, though, scoring a buzzer-beating field goal for an 8-6 lead.

Arielle Gee scored the first bucket of the second quarter for the Bulldogs with a blow-by bucket, and Runyon, who to this point had scored all of EC’s points, quickly matched her with a basket. The teams then traded baskets, but a 4-0 run to end the half pulled the Astros within one at the break.

Chloe Scott opened the second half with a huge block followed by another Runyon bucket sparking a 7-1 run for the Astros. Gee, who scored 21 points, was able to end the run with a tough bucket, and then the Bulldogs began to dominate carrying a 9-0 run into the final quarter of play.

Woodward furthered its momentum with a huge Adams block on what looked like an easy Runyon score followed by another quick Gee lay-in. Turnovers and more scoring from Gee contributed to another run for the Bulldogs, this time 7-3, and providing the final margin.

”(From the 9-0 run on) it seemed like we lost the momentum we had when we were up five and they gained all the momentum and the ball went their way,” Bean said. “They outplayed us in the fourth. You gotta give them credit, they outplayed us.”

SUMMARY

Nov 25, 2023

3rd Craycraft Tipoff Classic

@Brian P Mudd Court

Woodward 40, East Clinton 31

W^8^7^10^15^^40

EC^6^8^7^10^^31

(40) WOODWARD (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Cloud 3-2-0-8 Bray 1-0-0-2 Thomas 0-0-0-0 Gee 8-0-5-21 Terrell 0-0-0-0 Hill 0-0-1-1 Adams 2-0-4-8. TOTALS 14-2-10-40

(31) EAST CLINTON (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Kaylee Terrell 0-0-0-0 Arnold 0-0-0-0 Reynolds 0-0-0-0 Schiff 0-0-0-0 Hadley 2-1-1-6 Runyon 9-0-1-19 Kenzie Terrell 0-0-0-0 Tate 1-0-0-2 Reed 0-0-0-0 Scott 2-0-0-4. TOTALS 14-1-2-31