WAYNESVILLE — Lacey Peterman and Paige Lilly had big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to lead East Clinton to a 50-49 win over Greenon in the consolation game Wednesday of the Spartan Basketball Holiday Classic at Waynesville High School.
“We’ve played well all year but have not been able to finish,” EC coach Steven Gerber said. “We always seem to have something (go wrong) that costs us.”
In this one, finishing was not a problem. The start was an issue, however. East Clinton was 8 for 29 from the field in the first half. On the other hand, Greenon, with radar seemingly honed in on the basket, was 8 for 14 from 3-point range in the first half and sprinted out to a 30-15 lead.
Freshman Reagan Ware had 13 in the first half to lead the Knights.
“We (the coaches) got on ’em pretty hard at halftime that they weren’t playing as a team,” Gerber admitted.
Bre Davis led the third quarter rally with 6 points while Kaitlin Durbin and Lilly had 4 each as East Clinton cut the difference to 40-37 going to the final period.
Sierra Christian had an early fourth quarter stickback then Lilly scored 4 straight to give EC its first lead of the game, 43-42, with 5:08 to play. The teams were tied at 43 but Peterman, who struggled offensively, hit a big 3 to make it 46-43. Ware gave Greenon the lead 47-46 before Mackenzie Campbell hit a free throw to tie it and Lilly rattled a 3 home to put EC on top 50-47 with 2:27 to go.
With so much time on the clock, one might think it was a free throw contest for the Lady Astros to win it. Despite a 1 for 7 fourth quarter performance at the line, East Clinton held on.
“I can’t say enough about the effort in the second half,” said Gerber. “The kids really, defensively, just got after it. The first half, they had a lot of open shots. In the second half, we contested everything.
“We’ve struggled to believe we could do it. I told the girls we are better than our record. In the second half, we played like we believed we could win the game.”
Lilly finished with 16 points, 3 assists and 4 steals. Durbin had 9 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocked shots.
Ware, one of 5 freshmen who played key minutes for Greenon, led all scorers with 22 points.
SUMMARY
December 28, 2016
Spartan Basketball Holiday Classic
@Waynesville High School
East Clinton 50 Greenon 49
EC 07.14.16.13…..50
GR 13.20.07.09…..49
(50) EAST CLINTON (fg-3fg-ft-tp) La. Peterman 2-1-2-7 Campbell 1-1-1-4 Lilly 7-1-1-16 Dubrin 4-0-1-9 Davis 3-0-0-6 Christian 4-0-0-8 Hall 0-0-0-0. TOTALS 21-3-5-50
(49) GREENON (fg-3fg-ft-tp) D. Benedict 0-0-0-1 Gmuca 0-0-0-0 Potter 3-1-0-7 Henry 3-3-0-9 Ware 9-4-0-22 Maleigha Young 1-1-0-5 B. Benedict 0-0-2-2 Meakenna Young 1-0-1-3. TOTALS 24-9-4-49
FIELD GOALS: EC 21-58 (Lilly 7-13 Christian 4-7 Durbin 4-11); G 24-48 (Ware 9-16)
3 PT FIELD GOALS: EC 3-10 (Lilly 1-1); G 9-19 (Ware 4-5)
FREE THROWS: EC 5-15 (Peterman 2-3); G-4-9
REBOUNDS: EC-43 (Durbin 13 Christian 6 Davis 6 Peterman 5 Campbell 4 Lilly 3 Hall 2); G-33 (D. Benedict 6 Henry 6)
ASSISTS: EC-12 (La.Peterman 4 Campbell 3 Lilly 3); G-8 (Gmuca 3)
STEALS: EC-7 (Lilly 4); G-7 (D. Benedict 3)
BLOCKED SHOTS: EC-4 (Durbin 2 Davis 1 Peterman 1); G-2
TURNOVERS: EC-15; G-14
