1/9/2009 12:49:00 AM
Bath too much for Cougs
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BY JOHN SNODGRASS
Times Bulletin Sports Editor
sports@timesbulletin.com
BATH TOWNSHIP - In the early stages of Thursday evening's game between Van Wert and Bath, the Lady Cougars held their own with the defending regional champions. It did not last, though, as the Wildkittens (10-, 3-0 Western Buckeye League) used their range, as well as their solid transition game, to pull off a 93-51 victory at The Tub.
"Bath got into a rhythm and you expect nothing less when you're here and with (Bath) coach (Greg) Mauk," Van Wert coach Destri Bockey said. "We just didn't have enough steam and enough consistency with our depth to stick with them."
Bath opened the game on a 6-0 run before Olivia Moore pulled the Lady Cougars (3-6, 1-2 WBL) within one on a 3-pointer and a jumper from inside the lane. The Wildkittens then extended their lead to 10-5 before another Cougar rally, punctuated by another Moore bucket, evened the game at 10-all. Moments later Moore would once again tie the score - this time at 12-12 - but that would be the last time the Cougars would be so close. The Kittens closed the quarter on a 12-3 run to take a 24-15 lead at the first break.
The quarter's big shift came when Van Wert senior post, Alexa Jent, picked up her third foul of the first frame with roughly two minutes remaining. With Jent out the Cougars were forced to go to their young bench.
That didn't work out to Van Wert's advantage.
Bath exploited the situation by opening up its inside-out game. With Jent on the bench, the Kittens were able to quickly kick the ball outside to its sharpshooters. Bath made three 3-pointers in the first quarter, including two to close out the period. In all, the Wildkittens hit eight 3-pointers over the course of the four quarters.
"If we made a couple bunny shots, we could have stuck with some of their 3s," Bockey said. "We were missing two bunny shots to their one make and if we would have just stuck the ball in the hole we would have been better (than what we were)."
The Cougars controlled much of the game inside, but struggled to find ways to get the ball to fall. The Kittens, on the other hand, strived off of turnovers and easy baskets. Bath also drove to the lane often. The Wildkittens attempted 24 foul shots Thursday evening, making 15 (62.5 percent). Van Wert shot a better percentage but went to the line much less often - 7 of 9 (77.7 percent).
The Cougars pulled to within five to open the second quarter (24-19) but the single-digit deficit was short lived as Bath stretched its lead to 12 on a 7-0 run (34-22). The advantage got to as much as 14 (41-27) but four straight Cougar foul shots down the stretch put Van Wert behind by 10 (41-31) entering the half.
Whatever momentum that may have given Van Wert didn't carry over into the second half as the Kittens went on an 11-0 run to open the third quarter. Bath went on to outscore the Cougars 21-10 in the third frame to take a 62-41 lead into the final quarter.
Things only got worse from there as the Cougars turned the ball over 10 times in the last quarter and watched as the Kittens mounted run after run. Bath went on to outscore Van Wert 31-10 in the final eight minutes.
"Turnovers and shooting percentage is where we struggled the most," Bockey said.
And in the end that was the biggest difference.
Three different Wildkittens scored 20 points - Rachel Mauk, Stefanie Mauk and Stephanie Sanders - while Emily Mauk added 11 markers. Ten different Kittens scored Thursday evening.
Moore led the scoring for Van Wert with 18 while Jessica McClellan added 11. Nikki Young scored eight.
Bath won the junior varsity game 41-34.
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