Two unbeaten teams in Bath tournament finals

BATH TOWNSHIP - Bath's Wildkittens being unbeaten is hardly a shocker.

But how about Lima Senior's girls basketball team still being undefeated?

The Spartans' defense built up a big lead and they held on for an 84-78 victory over Bluffton in the opening round of the Bath McDonald's Holiday Tournament Monday at Bath.

In the nightcap, Bath hit 13 3-pointers en route to rolling past Lima Central Catholic 84-37.

Bath (6-0) will meet Lima Senior (5-0) in the finals of the Holiday tourney in the second game tonight at Bath.

Lima Senior's Tierra Washington led the way with 28 points, with five 3-pointers. She scored 15, with three 3-pointers, in the key third quarter.

For Washington, 5-0 seems a long way away from last year's 3-18 mark.

"We have a lot of confidence now and are getting the ball up and down the court," she said.

Bluffton led 26-17 at the end of the first quarter and 40-39 at the half. Bluffton's Jaimie Luginbuhl, who finished with 25 points, scored seven quick points early in the third quarter. That helped Bluffton expand its lead to 51-44.

At that point, Lima Senior's man and zone presses took hold. The Spartans ripped off a 15-0 burst to grab a 59-51 lead with 3:03 left in the third quarter.

At the other end, Washington scored 10 of the team's 15 points during the run, including hitting a pair of 3-pointers.

"We got it together in the second half (defensively)," Washington said.

Lima Senior coach Vince Halliday added, "That stretch in the third quarter, the defensive pressure stepped up and we started moving our feet and we had our hands up."

Lima Senior forced 32 turnovers.

Lima Senior's lead grew to 14, 73-59, with 5:43 left. But Bluffton was able to chip into the lead by hitting three straight 3-pointers and the Spartans hitting 7-of-14 at the foul line in the final quarter.

Bluffton closed to 81-78 with 31 seconds left before Lima Senior's Michelle Johnson hit 3-of-4 at the foul line to seal it at 84-78.

Kiaira Crockett added 12 points for Lima Senior. Jonica Schmutz scored 19 and Sami Harrod scored 11 for Bluffton (3-5).

Bath 84
LCC 37

Bath began running the floor and hitting 3-pointers early and the game quickly got away from the T-Birds (3-5).

In the first quarter, Bath's Rachel Mauk had 11 points, with three 3-pointers, while Stefanie Mauk and Nicki Hopkins both hit a pair of threes. That gave the Wildkittens seven of their 13 3-pointers in the opening quarter.

That helped Bath run out to a 27-11 first-quarter lead.

"We were open and the girls were passing the ball really well," Hopkins said. "We were taking what they gave us. ... It's our holiday tournament and we really wanted to come out strong.

Rachel Mauk finished with 24 points and three 3-pointers, while Stefanie Mauk scored 20 with three 3-pointers. Hopkins scored 18 and was perfect from the field, hitting 6-of-6, all 3-pointers.

Bath used a 19-2 run to run away early. Rachel Mauk hit three straight 3-pointers from the top of the key during the bustout. That bounced the lead from 15-9 to 24-9.

"We haven't felt like in our first five games, outside of the Delphos St. John's game, that we played like we can play," Bath coach Greg Mauk said. "I thought our girls came out tonight and really established the way we play in the first quarter."

LCC coach Bill Taflinger felt his team gave Bath too much space to fire away.

"We weren't out on the shooters close enough and probably gave them too much room on the shots," Taflinger said. "Obviously, they knocked them down and got rolling. And once they get rolling, they're hard to stop."