BLANCHESTER — Blanchester’s girls basketball team found itself Thursday in a similar situation as in Monday’s loss to Williamsburg.
With 2:05 left, Fayetteville completed its comeback from eight points down to tie the game. However, unlike the game against Williamsburg, it was Blanchester and not its opponent who finished the game strong.
Asia Baldwin’s jumper with 1:41 remaining put the Wildcats up for good, as they scored the game’s final seven points in a 47-40 win over the Rockets.
“Asia hit a big shot after they came back and tied the game,” BHS head coach Bennie Carroll said. “She hit that shot that put us back ahead and it seemed like that steadied us.”
Fayetteville had four of its 17 turnovers in the final 1:33 of the game. The Rockets were held to just two shot attempts and no made field goals over the final 2:05.
The Rockets (6-4) went to a full-court press in the fourth quarter, which Blanchester struggled with, especially early in the quarter. The press allowed the Rockets to tie the game before the Baldwin basket.
Blanchester (6-2) iced the game with a Dakota Watters basket and free throws by Emma Gundler and McKenzie Miller.
Fayetteville dominated the glass in the second half. However, despite getting 18 more shots than Blanchester (68 to 50), the Rockets made three fewer shots (19-16).
“I thought we played defensively about as hard as we could play,” Carroll said. “(Fayetteville) is a pretty solid team. They’ve got some kids out there that are pretty solid offensively.”
For the first three quarters, Carroll substituted five players at a time every four minutes. By comparison, Fayetteville played just seven in the game and played just five for most of the game.
Those fresh players hounded the Rocket guards. Cecelia Murphy would work around one Blanchester guard only to find another ready to hound her.
“We were making them work,” Carroll said. “The Murphy girl, bless her heart, I’m sure she’s tired. She faced a lot of pressure all night long.”
Olivia Gundler led a balanced Blanchester attack with nine points. Elicia Patton and Regan Ostermeier each had seven.
Hannah Wiederhold led Fayetteville with 13 points. Taylor Cornett added 12.
All 10 Blanchester players who played scored at least two points.
“Everybody who played contributed,” Carroll said. “Every kid that stepped on the floor did some positive things. I think they contributed where we were able to grind them down.”
SUMMARY
Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016
@Blanchester High School
Blanchester 47, Fayetteville 40
F…10.8.7.15…40
B…11.14.8.14…47
(40) FAYETTEVILLE (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Savannah Lynch 1-0-0-2, Taylor Cornett 6-0-0-12, Cecelia Murphy 2-0-2-6, Margo Thompson 2-0-3-7, Hannah Wiederhold 5-0-3-13. TOTALS 16-0-8-40.
(47) BLANCHESTER (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Asia Baldwin 3-0-0-6, Elicia Patton 2-1-2-7, Olivia Gundler 4-1-0-9, Merri Lindsey 1-1-0-3, Emma Gundler 1-0-2-4, McKenzie Miller 1-0-1-3, Regan Ostermeier 3-0-1-7, Savana Greene 1-0-0-2, Dakota Watters 2-0-0-4, Josi Farrow 1-0-0-2. TOTALS 19-3-6-47.
FIELD GOALS: F 16/68 (Cornett 6/16, Wiederhold 5/19); B 19/50 (O. Gundler 4/9, Baldwin 3/5, Ostermeier 3/4)
3 POINT FIELD GOALS: F 0/4; B 3/10
FREE THROWS: F 8/13 (Thompson 3/6, Wiederhold 3/5); B 6/14 (Patton 2/2, E. Gundler 2/3)
TURNOVERS: F 17; B 21
