BATAVIA — A balanced scoring attack and solid defense helped Blanchester defeat Batavia 47-28 Monday in a non-conference girls basketball game between members of the Southern Buckeye Athletic & Academic Conference.

The win puts Blanchester, a National Division squad, at 8-3 on the year. Batavia, who plays in the American Division, is now 5-7.

Asia Baldwin led the Ladycats with nine points but was followed closely by Savanna Greene with eight, Emma Gundler with seven and Regan Ostermeier with seven.

But Carroll’s team trailed 8-7 after one period. Late in the period, thought, Blanchester seemed to rally around a basket by Josie Farrow, Carroll said.

“That seemed to get energize us a little bit,” said Carroll.

Blanchestert erased the deficit and led 23-13 at halftime. Elecia Patton and Ostermeier played key roles in the scoring reversal, Carroll said.

“Once again, I wish I had something magical to tell you,” said Blanchester head coach Bennie Carroll. “We were trying hard. Offensively we were out of sync in that first quarter. We were a step late on everything. In the second quarter, we forced a few turnovers and got some easy baskets. That always helps. He switched up his defenses on us. That maybe hurt us a little bit.”

Ostermeier missed most of the preseason with an injury and is now rounding into form.

“She’s starting to do some things for us,” Carroll said of the freshman post player.

On defense, Emma Gundler was the key player, Carroll said. “She had several deflections, steals, rebounds, those kinds of things. Everybody chipped in.

SUMMARY

January 9, 2017

@Batavia High School

Blanchester 47 Batavia 28

BA 08.05.09.06….28

BL 07.16.13.11…..47

(28) BATAVIA (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Currington 0-0-1/2-1 Maggie Mehlman 5-0-3/5-13

Smith 1-0-0-2

Macie Mehlman 2-0-2/4-6Myers 1-0-1/2-3 Miller 1-0-0-2 Carter 0-0-1/2-1. TOTALS 10-0-8-15-28.

(47) BLANCHESTER (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Asia Baldwin 4-0-1/4-9 Elecia Patton 2-0-0/1-4 Olivia Gundler 2-0-0-4 Merry Lindsey 1-0-0-2 Emma Gundler 2-0-3/8-7 Mckenzie Miller 1-0-1/2-3 Regan Ostermeier 2-0-3/6-7 Savanna Greene 3-0-2/4-8 Josie Farrow 1-0-1/2-3. TOTALS 18-0-11/27-47