WAYNESVILLE — Wilmington overcame an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit to down host Waynesville 56-53 Monday in non-league girls basketball action.
The Spartans (1-1) led 45-37 with 6:28 left in the contest. Wilmington erased that advantage with a Maura Drake put-back and threes by Taylor Noszka and Katie Murphy to tie the game at 45-45 with 4:51 to go in the game.
Wilmington (1-1) held off Waynesville down the stretch with Sophie Huffman going 6-of-6 at the line and a free throw and two big buckets by KeAsia Robinson.
Waynesville’ game-tying three-point attempt misfired just before the final horn; Wilmington grabbed the rebound to preserve the win.
Murphy led the ‘Cane with 19 points. Huffman joined her in double-figures with 16, including 10-of-10 from the line.
Spartan Leah Butterbaugh led all scorers with 23 points.
Keeping cold-shooting Waynesville off the offensive boards early, Wilmington led most of the first half.
The Spartans missed their first eight shots, without an offensive rebound, as the Hurricane scored the game’s first five points.
Wilmington kept the upper hand until Waynesville took its first lead of the night, 18-17 with 2:05 before the intermission.
The Spartans led 23-21 at the break and extended it to 37-28 midway through the third quarter with seven straight points.
Huffman help stop the bleeding with a pair from behind the arc, including a deep buzzer-beater to pull the ‘Cane to within 41-35 entering the final quarter.
Wilmington scored the first bucket to start the fourth quarter but gave up the next two to Waynesville before starting its game-winning comeback.
SUMMARY
Nov 30, 2020
@Waynesville High School
WIL^8^13^14^21^^56
WAY^4^19^18^12^^53
(56) WILMINGTON (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Robinson 3-0-2-8 Noszka 3-1-0-7 Diels 1-0-0-2 Hufman 2-2-10-16 Johns 1-0-0-2 Drake 1-0-0-2 Murphy 7-4-1-19 TOTALS 18-7-13-56
(53) WAYNESVILLE (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Lukins 0-0-0-0 Stupp 0-0-0-0 Butterbaugh 9-2-3-23 Van Schaile 0-0-0-0 Anderssen 0-0-0-0 Greely 3-0-3-9 Lezotte 2-2-0-6 Cassini 2-0-2-6 Anderssen 4-0-1-9 TOTALS 20-4-9-53
