1/19/2009 12:30:00 AM
Cougs control boards in win
| |
|
BY KEVIN WANNEMACHER
Times Bulletin Staff
kwannemacher@timesbulletin.com
PAULDING - Van Wert outrebounded host Paulding 43-33 and forced the Panthers into 25 turnovers in posting a 68-58 non-league girls basketball win on Saturday afternoon.
The Cougars took control of the contest early in a seven-possession stretch that saw Van Wert open the game up.
Paulding's Shelby Erford opened the game's scoring with a layup before Van Wert's Nikki Young answered with a bucket. The game would turn in a hurry from that point on.
Following a Panther turnover, the Cougars' Nikki Morrow connected for a trey to put Van Wert on top 5-2.
Paulding committed four consecutive turnovers and the Cougars took advantage with two straight Madison Kohn treys for an 11-2 lead.
After a bucket by the Panthers' Cassie Kauser, the Cougars answered with an Olivia Moore basket and a Morrow trey for a 16-4 advantage.
Paulding, though, would cut the deficit to 23-13 at the end of one stanza after five Kauser points and a pair of Erford free throws.
"I thought we did a good job of being aggressive and we were able to force them into some mistakes early on," commented Cougar coach Destri Bockey. "The other thing was we rebounded the basketball very well today."
The Panthers opened the second stanza with single free throws from Ashley Myers and Kauser along with two by Morgan Hammon to pull within 23-17.
With the lead at 32-27, Moore scored two straight buckets before adding a late trey to help Van Wert post a 39-32 advantage at the intermission.
"We were able to cut into the lead a little bit there in the second quarter but Van Wert did a good job of answering to keep it at seven," noted Panther coach Michelle Vorst. "I thought Van Wert was just much more aggressive than we were today and that was the big difference in the game."
Paulding trimmed the lead to 39-34 on a Hammon bucket but the Cougars again would answer. Jessica McClellan hit a 3-pointer, Moore added a basket and Kohn chipped in a bucket to push the advantage to 49-36.
"Every time we got close, they would make a big run," continued Vorst.
Van Wert led 51-40 entering the final stanza.
The Panthers made one final run with a bucket by Taylor Hatcher and an Erford 3-pointer to get within 51-45 early in the fourth quarter.
However, Paulding would get no closer. A Moore trey along with buckets by McClellan, Morrow and Moore widened the Cougar lead to 60-51. The Panthers would get no closer than seven points from that point on.
"The thing that disappoints me the most today is the fact we didn't come out to play," Vorst concluded. "We just were not aggressive at all and that is not the way we have been playing. We have to rebound and come ready to play next week."
"We were able to get contributions from several players today and we overcame some foul trouble," Bockey said. "It is a good win for us but we still have to get better this week."
Moore finished the contest with 20 points for the Cougars to go along with 10 rebounds. Morrow added 16 markers while Kohn chipped in 10 and grabbed four boards.
Erford scored 17 points for Paulding with Kauser adding 14 markers and 10 caroms. Hammon also had a dozen points and eight rebounds for the Panthers.
For the day, Paulding finished with 25 turnovers compared to Van Wert's 17. The Cougars outrebounded the Panthers 43-33. From the field, Van Wert was 25 of 72 (35 percent) compared to Paulding's 18 of 38 (47 percent). The Panthers connected on 21 of 32 free throws (66 percent) with Van Wert making 10 of 17 (59 percent).
|
Article Comment Submission Form
|
|
