Ohio Locker Room - Waynesville defeats East Clinton girls in sectional tourney

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Waynesville defeats East Clinton girls in sectional tourney

Sunday, 10 February 2008

By SHAWN ROBINSON

Sports Writer

WILMINGTON – East Clinton (13-8) survived one stretch with a key player on the bench with foul trouble but not another. Waynesville (15-6) created enough momentum during the second stretch to pull away for a 51-36 Division III girls sectional tournament victory Saturday at Wilmington Middle School.

“There’s not a whole lot to say. We got outplayed. They were able to execute what they wanted and we weren’t. Waynesville took advantage of our miscues. We didn’t knock down shots we normally knock down,” East Clinton head coach Tracey Fliehman said about his team that averaged nearly 60 points a game this season.

With East Clinton’s Rhea Webb on the bench for 5:11 of the first and second quarters, the Astros’ 8-4 lead turned into a 13-10 deficit.

EC climbed back into the lead, 19-18 with 2:29 left in the second quarter. The teams traded baskets before Waynesville headed into the break with a 23-21 advantage.

Waynesville’s Farran Eide had seven of her game-high 16 points in the half. Teammate Courtney Baker scored nine of her 14 before halftime.

Lara Luttrell scored two of her team-high 13 points to pull the Astros with 26-23 before heading to the bench with foul problems early in the third quarter.

That was the closest the Astros would get; Waynesville extended its lead to 30-23 before Luttrell returned four minutes later. Baker punctuated the Spartans’ four-point burst with a three-pointer. East Clinton fouled Baker after the shot, so Waynesville got back the ball. The Spartans didn’t score on that possession, but it seemed to take the air out of the Astros.

If that sequence didn’t do it, then Lizzy Elson’s three-pointer and two free throws within 20 seconds that gave Waynesville a 35-25 lead did deflate the Astros.

“If (Rhea and Lara) could stay on the floor, it could have been a different game,” Fliehman said. “I haven’t seen anyone that’s been able to cover Rhea one-on-one. Lara takes away two defenders. We struggle offensively with either one of them out.”

East Clinton couldn’t get back into the game in the final period, partly because of 2-of-12 shooting from the field.

Waynesville hit 6-of-11 free throws in the final two minutes of the game to keep East Clinton at bay.

“In the last three years, East Clinton hasn’t won more than five games (in any season), so we’re heading in the right direction. We’ve worked hard all year. I’m proud of our progress,” Fliehman said. “We had some big wins this year. I look forward to next year with the kids that are coming back.”

The Spartans now will face top-seeded Hamilton Badin (16-6) at 8 p.m. Thursday at Wilmington Middle School for a sectional championship. Badin is the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Div. II-IV poll champion.

SUMMARY

WHS – 9 14 14 14 - 51

EC – 10 11 8 7 - 36

WHS (51) – Van Atta 1-2-4, Eide 5-5-16, Jewett 1-0-2, Baker 4-3-14, Danner 0-1-1, Elson 1-2-5, Bell 1-0-3, Bunn 0-0-0, Newland 3-0-6. TOTALS 16-13-51. 3-pointers – 6 (Baker 3, Elson, Eide, Bell). FTM-FTA 13-26, 50 percent.

EC (36) – Uhl 2-2-7, Luttrell 3-7-13, Houck 0-0-0, Witkemper 2-0-4, Webb 3-0-6, Spurlock 1-2-4, Saville 0-0-0, Henderson 1-0-2, Kiemer 0-0-0, Noes 0-0-0. TOTALS 12-11-36. 3-pointers – 1 (Uhl). FTM-FTA 11-13, 85 percent.