Allen East’s Savana Brooks drives the ball past Wapakoneta’s Kierra Siefring during Thursday night’s girls basketball game.
Jackelyn Johnson | The Lima News
It was an uphill battle for Allen East during most of its 48-44 girls basketball win at Wapakoneta on Thursday night.
But the Mustangs turned that struggle into their seventh win in eight games this season by doing what they called playing downhill.
Junior point guard Rilynn Jones, who led Allen East with 20 points, explained what playing downhill means.
“It’s just beating her (the defensive player) off the dribble and using my speed for a lay-up,” she said.
Jones used her speed to get to the rim over and over in the second half, getting 18 of her 20 points in the final 16 minutes when Allen East came back from 10 points down early in the third quarter for the win.
The Mustangs looked like a different team collectively in the second half after some halftime adjustments.
“We got ripped at halftime. That was probably the worst half we’ve played,” Jones said. “Once we got going and trusting our teammates and going to the hole instead of settling for shots we were able to put it in the rim.”
Allen East coach Aaron Montgomery said, “In the first half we weren’t attacking with a purpose. The second half, we wanted to attack the basket looking to score.
“When Rilynn Jones gets downhill she’s one of the best guards in northwest Ohio. When Rilynn Jones gets downhill she’s a fierce competitor. That was our challenge to her – get downhill and force the defense to stop you. If they do, we can kick it out. If they don’t, finish at the rim. She really kind of took over the offense, attacking and putting the pressure on them,” he said.
Read more about Allen East-Wapakoneta at bit.ly/3TvBc5q.
Perry wins rivalry game
Perry earned bragging rights for the area with its 56-39 win against Lima Senior on Thursday night.
“I think a lot of the kids between these two schools know each other,” Perry coach Ted Patton said. “I think we came out with a lot of adrenaline flying. I think we were shooting it kind of hard. We talked about that in a couple of our timeouts. … I think that really helped. They got it slowed down a little bit. In the second half, we shot much better.”
The Commodores (6-3) won the battle of the boards and slowed down Lima Senior’s playmakers in the game. They held Maisie Strawser to 13 points, with just four in the second half, and Anya James scored only six points, all from free throws.
Lexenna Lee led Parry and all scorers with 20 points, including 10 of 13 shooting from the free-throw line. Lee also came away with a game-high 11 rebounds. Zyasija Scott had 13 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Khaliah Luster added eight points and four boards for the Commodores.
Read more about Perry-Lima Senior at bit.ly/3tkkfQR.
Big scorers
Several area girls basketball players topped the 15-point plateau in recent games:
• Bluffton’s Ayla Grandey scored as many points (27) as the whole Defiance team did in a 50-27 win Tuesday.
• Delphos St. John’s Lyv Lindeman scored 25 points in a 54-28 win at Paulding on Thursday.
• Crestview’s Cali Gregory scored 24 points Monday night in the Knights’ 72-33 win against Fort Jennings.
• Ada’s Olivia Burkhart scored a game-high 23 points in Ada’s 53-49 win at Vanlue on Tuesday.
• Shawnee’s Grace Freiberger scored 22 points in the Indians’ 54-46 loss at Delphos St. John’s on Monday.
• Audrey Welsch had 21 points as Wapakoneta topped Waynesfield-Goshen, 75—65, on Tuesday.
• Raegan Hutchison scored 21 points in Waynesfield-Goshen’s loss to Wapakoneta. She also had 19 points in Waynesfield-Goshen’s 58-52 loss to McComb last Saturday.
• Delphos St. John’s Emma Will tallied 15 of her 20 points in the second half of the Blue Jays’ 42-36 win at Van Wert on Thursday.
• Karsyn Erford had 19 points as Ottawa-Glandorf beat Toledo Christian, 48-42, last Saturday.
• Hardin Northern’s Lainey Thomas scored 21 points and had five rebounds in a 42-38 win against Pandora-Gilboa.
• Brielle Cotterman tallied 18 points for Upper Scioto Valley in a 49-36 win against Pandora-Gilboa last Saturday.
• Tatelyn Faraglia scored 17 points in Waynesfield-Goshen’s loss to Wapakoneta on Tuesday. She also accumulated 16 points for Waynesfield-Goshen in a 58-52 loss to McComb last Saturday.
• Fort Jennings’ Autumn Cavelage scored a game-high 17 points in a losing effort at Wayne Trace on Thursday.
• Miller City’s Bella Reyna hit for 16 points in a 66-34 win against Lincolnview on Thursday.
• Lauryn Auchmuty scored 16 points in Columbus Grove’s 52-44 loss to Carey last Saturday.
• Wapakoneta’s Elisabeth Good tallied 15 points in a 75-65 win at Waynesfield-Goshen on Tuesday.
• Miller City’s Jordan Schnipke scored 15 points in a 66-34 win against Lincolnview on Thursday.
• Lexanna Lee tallied 15 points in Perry’s 63-28 win against Lima Central Catholic on Monday.
• Heidi Keller led Spencerville with 15 points in a 56-44 loss at St. Henry on Thursday.
GIRLS BASKETBALL STANDINGS
Western Buckeye League
`WBL`All
Ottawa-Glandorf `2-0 `9-0
Bath `2-0 `6-0
St. Marys `2-0 `5-2
Kenton `1-1 `4-4
Shawnee `1-1 `3-4
Wapakoneta `1-1 `3-5
Van Wert `1-1 `2-6
Celina `0-2 `2-5
Elida `0-2 `0-7
Defiance `0-2 `0-10
Northwest Conference
`NWC`All
Crestview `2-0 `8-0
Delphos Jefferson `2-0 `7-1
Columbus Grove `2-0 `6-1
Lincolnview `2-0 `4-4
Allen East `0-1 `7-1
Spencerville `0-2 `4-4
Leipsic `0-2 `4-4
Ada `0-2 `4-5
Bluffton `0-1 `3-5
Northwest Central Conference
`NWCC`All
Perry `1-0 `6-3
Ridgedale `2-0 `4-5
Cory-Rawson `2-0 `4-6
Waynesfield-Goshen `1-0 `2-4
Elgin `1-1 `6-1
Hardin Northern `1-1 `2-5
Upper Scioto Valley `0-2 `2-5
North Baltimore `0-2 `1-5
Ridgemont `0-2 `0-7
Putnam County League
`PCL`All
Ottoville `1-0 `7-1
Columbus Grove `2-0 `6-1
Miller City `2-1 `6-3
Leipsic `2-1 `4-4
Kalida `1-1 `4-3
Fort Jennings `0-2 `1-7
Pandora Gilboa `0-2 `1-7
Continental `0-1 `0-8
Toledo City Athletic League
`TCAL`All
Start `3-1 `4-4
Rogers `3-1 `5-3
Bowesher `2-1 `5-4
Lima Senior `2-2 `5-4
Scott `2-2 `4-4
Woodward `1-2 `1-4
Waite `0-4 `1-5
GIRLS BASKETBALL RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
Tuesday
Ada 53, Vanlue 49
Allen East 64, Hardin Northern 15
Bluffton 50, Defiance 27
Columbus Grove 31, Kalida 15
Miller City 43, Leipsic 36
Spencerville 48, Upper Scioto Valley 12
Wapakoneta 75, Waynesfield-Goshen 65
Thursday
Allen East 48, Wapakoneta 44
Delphos Jefferson 54, Paulding 28
Delphos St. John’s 42, Van Wert 36
Hardin Northern 42, Pandora-Gilboa 38
Miller City 66, Lincolnview 34
Ottawa-Glandorf 53, Napoleon 16
Perry 56, Lima Senior 39
St. Henry 56, Spencerville 44
Van Buren 37, Bluffton 33
Wayne Trace 37, Fort Jennings 30
Friday
Games ended after The Lima News deadline. Find scores, game stories, photos and more on LimaScores.com.
Bath Holiday Tournament: Notre Dame vs. Bryan, 6 p.m.; Marion Local vs. Bath, 7:30 p.m.
Today
Bath Holiday Tournament: Consolation, noon; championship, 1:30 p.m.
Crestview at Kalida, 1:30 p.m.
Delphos St. John’s at Columbus Grove, 1:30 p.m.
Lima Senior at Findlay, 7:15 p.m.
McComb at Fort Jennings, 1:30 p.m.
Wayne Trace at Ottoville, 1 p.m.
Tuesday
Arlington at Fort Jennings, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Vicki Mauk Holiday Classic: New Knoxville vs. Lima Senior, 6 p.m.; Elida vs. Van Buren, 7:30 p.m.
Bath at Coldwater, 7:30 p.m.
Cory-Rawson at Columbus Grove, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday
Vicki Mauk Holiday Classic: Consolation, 6 p.m.; championship, 7:30 p.m.
Ada at Waynesfield-Goshen, 6 p.m.
Kalida at Archbold, 7:30 p.m.
Kenton at Bluffton, 7:30 p.m.
Ottawa-Glandorf at Crestview, 7:30 p.m.
Ottoville at Arlington, 6 p.m.
Shawnee at Findlay, 7:15 p.m.
Sylvania Southview at Wapakoneta, 6 p.m.
Toledo Christian at Miller City, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 30
Fort Jennings at Delphos St. John’s, 1:30 p.m.
Fort Loramie at Ottawa-Glandorf, 12:30 p.m.
Van Wert at Delphos Jefferson, 12:30 p.m.
Wapakoneta at Olentangy, 1:30 p.m.
BOYS BASKETBALL RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
Tuesday
Crestview 62, Fort Jennings 40
Delphos St. John’s 63, Continental 29
Lima Central Catholic 61, Bath 42
New Knoxville 65, Ada 40
Shawnee 55, Perry 34
Temple Christian 49, Arcadia 45
Wapakoneta 42, Allen East 38
Wednesday
Bluffton 67, Carey 36
Friday
Games ended after The Lima News deadline. Find scores, game stories, photos and more on LimaScores.com.
Antwerp at Kalida, 7:30 p.m.
Ayersville at Fort Jennings, 7:30 p.m.
Bowsher at Ottawa-Glandorf, 7 p.m.
Cory-Rawson at Allen East, 7:30 p.m.
Delphos Jefferson at Parkway, 7:30 p.m.
Delphos St. John’s at Crestview, 7:30 p.m.
Leipsic at Pandora-Gilboa, 7:30 p.m.
Minster at Spencerville, 7 p.m.
Miller City at Van Buren, 7:30 p.m.
Ottoville at Lincolnview, 7:30 p.m.
Patrick Henry at Columbus Grove, 7:30 p.m.
Shawnee at Coldwater, 7:30 p.m.
Temple Christian at New Knoxville, 7:30 p.m.
Van Wert at Lima Central Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
Wapakoneta at Perry, 7:30 p.m.
Waynesfield-Goshen at Kenton, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Ada at Cory-Rawson, 7:30 p.m.
Antwerp at Delphos Jefferson, 7:30 p.m.
Bath at Delphos St. John’s, 7:30 p.m.
Fort Jennings at Lincolnview, 6:30 p.m.
Miller City at McComb, 7 p.m.
Upper Scioto Valley at Elida, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday
Canton Central Catholic at Ottawa-Glandorf, 7:30 p.m.
Crestview at Kalida, 7:30 p.m.
Delphos St. John at Delphos Jefferson, 7:30 p.m.
Elida at Perry, 7:30 p.m.
Wapakoneta at Bowling Green, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday
Ada at Waynesfield-Goshen, 8 p.m.
Bath at Cardinal Stritch, 7 p.m.
Riverside at Temple Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Shawnee at Lima Central Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
Toledo Christian at Miller City, 7:30 p.m.
Friday
Columbus Grove at Van Wert, 7:30 p.m.
Crestview at Ottoville, 7 p.m.
Elida at New Bremen, 7:30 p.m.
Fort Jennings at Temple Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Lima Senior at Findlay, 5 p.m.
Lincolnview at Kalida, 7:30 p.m.
Miller City at Tinora, 7:30 p.m.
Pandora-Gilboa at Patrick Henry, 7:30 p.m.
St. Marys at Spencerville, 6:15 p.m.
Saturday
Ottawa-Glandorf at Lima Central Catholic, 4 p.m.
Ottoville at Van Wert, 5:30 p.m.
Perry at Columbus Grove, 5:30 p.m.
Reynoldsburg at Lima Senior, 7:30 p.m.
