Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

WAVERLY — Even the best laid plans can often go astray, and you don’t even have to ask John Steinbeck.

The South Point Lady Pointers had the right plan, they just had one thing go wrong: their shooting.

The Lady Pointers struggled offensively to make shots as they connected on only 7-of-42 attempts as they lost 43-26 to the Nelsonville-York Lady Buckeyes Saturday in the Division III district finals.

“We did what we planned to do, we just couldn’t get the shots to fall,” said Lady Pointers’ coach Dave Adams. “What did we score? 28? 26? It’s hard to win that way.”

Nelsonville-York (17-5) didn’t shoot much better against the Lady Pointers’ defense. The Lady Buckeyes were 13-of-40 from the field and 13-of-18 at the foul line.

Brooke Breeze turned a steal into a 10-footer as N-Y took a 2-0 lead, but Haley Rawlins answered with a 3-pointer and South Point had its only lead of the game with 7:22 on the clock.

Abbey Winkler hit a triple to get South Point within 12-7 but Kaitlyn Hood had two foul shots and Angela Meade drained a trey as the Lady Buckeyes took a 17-7 lead at the end of the quarter.

South Point cut the deficit to six points on two occasions in the second quarter — a putback by Brett Justice to make it 17-11 and two free throws by Winkler at the 2:28 mark and it was 21-15.

The Lady Buckeyes got two foul shots by Hurd and one by Mead to close the half and the lead was 24-15 at the break.

Winkler made a putback and Rawlins two free throws as South Point cut the deficit to 24-19 with 3:56 left in the third quarter.

Bradburn had a putback at the buzzer and the Lady Pointers trailed 29-23.

“We held them to five points in that quarter, we just couldn’t get any shot to fall,” said Adams. “It was a lot closer than the final score.

“Nelsonville is a good team. They have those bigs who are so athletic.”

N-Y got a 17-footer by Madison Davis to start the fourth quarter and two foul shots by Hurd opened up a 33-23 lead with 6:05 left.

A layup by Lakin Adams at the 5:54 mark was the only basket of the quarter for the Lady Pointers and cut the spread to 33-25.

South Point was plagued by turnovers and as a result managed to get just five shots from the field and scored three points in the quarter.

“When you start making some shots, you start getting your confidence. That just built up to the fourth quarter,” said coach Adams.

The Lady Pointers finished the season 20-5 and lose five seniors: Justice, Bradburn, Adams, Brianna Bacon and Hannah Carey.

“Nobody expected us to win 20 games. Nobody expected us to go this far. These girls have played really hard. Most people didn’t think we’d get out of the sectional and every game they were underdogs, so they battled through it,” said coach Adams.

Rawlins and Winkler had eight points each and Bradburn grabbed 10 rebounds to pace South Point.

For N-Y, Hurd had 11 points and 10 rebounds, Meade 9 points and Davis 12 points and eight rebounds.

South Point 7 8 8 3 = 26

Nelsonville 17 7 5 14 = 43

SOUTH POINT (20-4): Haley Rawlins 0 1 5-6 8, Brooklyn Badgett 0 0 0-0 0, Brett Justice 1 0 2-2 4, Abbey Winkler 1 1 3-4 8, Aundrea Bradburn 2 0 0-0 4, Bonnie Hileman 0 0 0-4 0, Brianna Bacon 0 0 0-0 0, Lakin Adams 1 0 0-0 2, Hannah Carey 0 0 0-0 0, Taylor Dillow 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 7-42 10-16 26. 3-point goals: 2-16. Rebounds: 14-O, 122-D = 34 (Bradburn 10, Justice 7, Winkler 7). Team/deadball rebounds: 6. Assists: 1. Steals: 10 (Bradburn 3, Rawlins 2, Badgett 2). Turnovers: 23. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None.

NELSONVILLE-YORK (17-5): Angela Meade 1 2 1-2 9, Brooke Breeze 1 2 0-0 8, Madison Davis 6 0 0-0 12, Jennah Addis 0 0 2-2 2, Kaitlyn Hurd 1 0 9-12 11, Samantha Taylor 0 0 0-0 0, Tori Campbell 0 0 1-2 1, Cassidy Dupler 0 0 0-0 0, Chelsie Mays 0 0 0-0 0, Hanna Taylor 0 0 0-0 0, Trisha Carr 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13-40 13-18 43. 3-point goals: 4-20. Rebounds: 11-O, 21-D = 32 (Hurd 10, Davis 8, Mead 5). Team/deadball rebounds: 3. Assists: 6 (Davis 2). Steals: 16 (Breeze 7, Mead 3, Hurd 3). Turnovers: 18 Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.