First Posted: 2/24/2015
FOSTORIA — Ashland did exactly what it needed to down the stretch.
It protected the ball, rebounded and made free throws.
That helped Ashland to a 58-54 victory over Lima Senior in the opening round of the Division I sectional girls basketball tournament Tuesday at Fostoria High School.
Essence Cowan scored 28 points for the Spartans, with six 3-pointers. But it wasn’t enough, as Ashland outrebounded the Spartans, 46-34.
Ashland’s Sydni Carpenter had 21 points with 10 rebounds. She also hit 9 of 12 at the foul line in the final quarter. Ashland’s 6-foot Shelby White had 15 points and 16 rebounds, including seven offensive boards.
“I thought in that second half she (White) dominated and had some big stickbacks,” Ashland coach Jason Snow said. She has some nice attacks to the basket and a big three-point play. And I thought Sydni (Carpenter) did a great job taking care of the ball for us and driving to the basket.”
Ashland (14-9) will meet No. 2 seed Sylvania Northview (17-5) for the sectional championship at 6:15 p.m. Saturday at Fostoria High School. Northview pressed and ran its way past Toledo Bowsher, 66-27.
Lima Senior ends its season 13-10.
“It was a disappointing end to a disappointing season,” Lima Senior coach Vince Halliday said. “That’s the bottom line.”
Rion Thompson had 13 points for the Spartans. Imara Haynes had six points, six rebounds and six blocks, but fouled out with 2:16 to go with Ashland leading 52-48.
Lima Senior shot 30 percent from the field and was 6 of 18 on 3-pointers. Ashland shot 39 percent from the field and was 1 of 7 on threes.
“I thought we missed a ton of shots in the paint, especially in the first half,” Halliday said. “We had 18 misses in the paint in the first half. I thought we outplayed them in the first half, but when you miss that many shots in the paint.”
The Spartans went out to a 19-11 first-quarter lead behind three long-range bombs by Cowan. But Ashland regrouped early in the second quarter and ripped off a 9-0 run. That brought Ashland within 21-20.
“We got down early and didn’t know what was going to happen, if we were going to pack it in,” Snow said. “But our second unit came in and got us back in the lead just before the half and you need that.”
The Spartans led 32-31 at the half.
It remained close until the end, with Ashland taking the lead to stay, 47-46 on a White putback with 3:26 to play. When White hit a three-point play, Ashland’s lead went to 50-46 with 3:02 left.
In the second half, Ashland came out of its 3-2 zone and went with plenty of man. That helped the Arrows do a better job of locating Cowan and Thompson.
“I thought we adjusted to them better in the second half and I thought we rebounded better in the second half,” Snow said.
In the final 2:16, Carpenter hit 7 of 8 at the line to prevent the Spartans from regaining the lead.
“Ashland did a better job than we did,” Halliday said.
Sylvania Northview 66,
Toledo Bowsher 27
In the first sectional game of the night, Northview used its height and athletic ability to knock out Toledo Bowsher, 66-27. Northview forced 36 turnovers.
Northview’s front line did the bulk of the damage with 6-foot-1 Kendall McCoy (16 points), 6-foot Maddie Cole (13 points) and 6-1 Kendall Jessing (11 points). Guard Katie Cole added 11 points.
