CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Forced to play with out injured standout Lily Jordan in latest weeks, the Morgantown women basketball group hasn’t modified its id in any respect.
Instead, the defensive-minded Mohegans are emphasizing that facet of their recreation much more, figuring out full properly {that a} key ingredient to their success has been sidelined.
It paid off in Tuesday’s Class AAAA quarterfinal recreation in opposition to Greenbrier East. In a 47-31 victory on the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, the fourth-place Mohegans held the fifth-place Spartans to 10 factors within the first half, capturing 9-of-38, and their first basket. He by no means allowed a save.
“I can not say sufficient about their defensive effort,” MHS head coach Doug Goodwin mentioned. “They hustle and go after it each 50-50 ball.”
As a consequence, the defending state champion Mohegans (17-8) superior to face the winner of first-place George Washington. 8 Musselman within the semifinals.
“We need to be affected person, handle the basketball and be sensible with what we now have,” Goodwin mentioned. “That’s what we have been for essentially the most half in the present day. Recognizing when it is advisable pause and staying calm and in management. This group is getting actually good at that, so we’ll proceed to do this till Friday. I hope we are able to proceed.”
The Spartans (21-5) hung in by way of the primary half of the primary quarter however have been held scoreless for the ultimate 4 minutes, throughout which period the Mohegans scored six factors to take a 14-6 lead. Freshman guard Kayli Kellogg scored 4 of these factors on separate factors, with Sofia Wasik accountable for the intervening layup.
Things did not enhance for GEHS within the second interval, because the Mohihans opened with seven straight factors on Kellogg’s transition layup, two targets from Lucy Hatcher, and a free throw from Paige Smith, permitting the Mohihans to attain seven factors in a row over the course of two frames. The rating was 13 factors.
Hannah Fuller’s two free throws ended the scoreless drought for the Spartans, however they missed all 10 discipline targets within the second quarter and went into halftime down 25-10. Greenbrier East made simply 2 of 19 photographs and dedicated 8 of the sport’s 11 turnovers by way of the second quarter.
“We’re used to scoring a ton of factors. They’re stronger and meatier than us,” Spartans head coach Jim Justice mentioned. “They have been within the weight room the entire time, pushing us round and making it exhausting for us to make photographs.”
However, the Spartans considerably raised their degree of play to begin the second half, getting three factors every from Eva Workman and Jada Fuller, and have been inside single digits at 25-16 lower than two minutes into the third quarter. It was packed to the brim.
With the Mohegans main 30-19, Kellogg scored 5 straight factors to increase the benefit to 16 factors, however the Spartans have been superior offensively for a lot of the time and confronted a 39-27 deficit within the fourth. He made half of his 12 photographs earlier than coming into the set.
“We received out and in of the press and stole the ball a couple of occasions,” Justice mentioned. “We performed like a basketball group. The first half was fairly powerful.”
But Greenbrier East’s offense was flat once more all through the ultimate quarter, with a jumper by Smith and a basket by Kellogg from shut vary extending Morgantown’s result in 16 factors.
“We’ve come a good distance,” Goodwin mentioned. “When Lilly received injured, it modified our dynamic just a little bit and this group has been working exhausting with an emphasis on the defensive facet.”
McKenna McClure made two free throws with 3:32 left to offer the Spartans their fourth level, and Stewart’s solely discipline aim to finish the quarter was a layup with 2:12 left.
“We knew their physicality and could not cope with it. They’re a powerful group of children with loads of velocity,” Justice mentioned.
In his first look on the state match, Kellogg led all gamers in scoring with 21 factors, making 6 of 9 3-point photographs. He additionally added 5 rebounds and three steals.
“It was powerful capturing in a brand new health club for the primary time, but it surely was comfy,” Kellogg mentioned. “My teammates gave me confidence and informed me to maintain capturing, however I discovered different methods to attain from protection and get steals to get in transition.”
Smith led all gamers with 10 factors and 12 rebounds, whereas Sadaya Jones added 7 factors, 10 boards, and 4 steals within the win.
“Defense has to return first. We’re a group that likes to make stops earlier than we assault,” Jones mentioned.
Greenbrier East, which misplaced, used 4 sophomores, two juniors, and one freshman, with Stewart scoring 11 factors, Workman scoring the remaining 9 factors with 5 steals, and Hannah Fuller grabbing 12 rebounds. did.
Justice, who at the moment serves as governor and is working for U.S. Senate, has maintained that he intends to proceed teaching past this season.
“We’ll do one thing, we’ll do one thing,” Justice mentioned. “If it really works out, I’m going to work my method as much as the Senators, however I’m going to be a coach.”