Lady Cats Down Lady Commodores In First Round State Basketball Championship Game (03/09/14)
A win is a win. And with a 47-40 victory over Frazier in a First Round PIAA State Playoff game on Saturday at Tippin Gymnasium (where at times, both teams struggled offensively), the Lady Cats move on to the second round to face Quigley Catholic.
(Photos by Jack Kenneson)
Kyla Miles with the opening tip
Clarion never trailed in the game, but they were tied twice, in a slow starting first period for both teams. Kyla Miles, who led all scorers with 19 points, opened the game with a put back, a sign of what was to follow, as Kyla’s strong play on the boards and scoring in the paint, was the key to the win. The Lady Commodore’s leading scorer, Lauren Timko tied the game at two and after Clarion moved out to a 7-4 lead, Frazier came back to tie the game at 7-all, to end the first.
The second period was a different story, with Clarion outscoring Frazier, 25-14. An 8-3 run by the Lady Cats to open the quarter, gave them a 15-10 lead, and an 8-0 run, later on moved Clarion out to a fifteen point lead, their biggest, of the game at 30-15. But with a 6-2 Commodore run at the end of the frame, the Lady Cats halftime lead was eleven points, at 32-21.
Miles and Timko each had a big second quarter, with Miles scoring nine and Timko eight. Six Bobcats scored in the second: Maci Thornton had 6 points, Grace Kroh had 4 and Laken Ganoe, Anna Reed and Lauren Wiser each had two.
The third period was exactly the opposite of the second, as a total of seven points were scored. Maci Thornton opened with a bucket, in the first 5 seconds, to give the Cats a 34-21 lead. The two points would be all Clarion would score in the quarter. But with good defense, the Lady Cats held Frazier to five. Clarion now held a single digit, 34-26 lead as the teams headed to the final quarter.
Led again by Kyla’s strong play in the paint, where she scored 6 points, on two turn-around jumpers and a put back, Clarion secured the 47-40 win.
Laken Ganoe getting control of a lose ball
Thornton followed Miles, in scoring, with 12 points. Ganoe finished with 6, Kroh had 5, Wiser scored 3 and Reed had two.
Timko had 15 for Frazier followed by Kaley Barota, with six.
After the game, Coach Roger Walter said, “I congratulated the girls on winning the District and putting their selves in a position where we could maybe not be at our best and still get a win, in the first round here.
“It’s been an off week. We’ve had players out, people on trips. Never really had an in sync practice and you could see, we never had an in sync play on offense.
“Defense – There was a little lack at times, where we looked tired, just uncertain. …a week break and a rough kind of schedule with us just not having people and it showed.”
Of his team’s effort, Coach Walter said, “I’m just glad we continued to hustle to the end.” And of Miles’ play, he said, “We jumped on Kyla’s back and she carried us. That was the biggest difference in the game, Kyla’s play.”
A sign of a good team is when you have an off outing and still win in a big game. Coach Walter noted, “If you’re not playing your best and you can still get a win at this level, you’re doing something right.”
Lauren Wiser at the line
The deeper you go in the playoffs to tougher the competition, and Coach Walter closed by mentioning the challenge that lies ahead, “That’ll be the last time we can get a win without being at our best. So it is going to get tough from now on out. We have to step up and play better.”
And we know you can, Lady Cats. Go Get Quigley!!!!