Round 3: Lady Tigers ready for MT
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
GREENFIELD - Each time the McClain Lady Tigers and the Miami Trace Lady Panthers have played this season, the stands have been packed, and both games were for positioning in the South Central Ohio League.
This time around, the teams have even more at stake as the winner will be crowned district champion, punching their ticket to the regional tournament and the Sweet 16.
"I don't see many changes in this game from the previous two," McClain head coach Dennis Overstake said. "Both teams pressure on defense and will want to create trap press turnovers. There might be slight changes made, but for the most part both of us will probably stay with what got us here to this point.
"To win, we can't turn the ball over and give them (MT) extra opportunities to score off turnovers. Last year, the big floor (Convo) helped us spread the the ball with our half-court press. The floor gives us space to find lanes."
In what has become the top rivalry in the SCOL, the Lady Tigers split with MT (20-2) this season, with each team winning their home contest, while MHS knocked the Lady Panthers out of the tournament a season ago in the sectional finals.
This season, MT won what was the SCOL clincher at Miami Trace 50-35, but MHS won the first contest a week before their second meeting by a score of 54-49 at McClain High School. In their first meeting, MHS senior Kate Hammond scored her 1,000th point and finished as the high scorer with 18. Then, in game two, Hammond suffered an injury to her mouth as she missed valuable minutes in the 15-point loss to the Lady Panthers. In the loss, Hammond scored 13 points.
"You hate to point out an injury for causing a loss, but when Kate and Jenna (Perie) hit heads we were down three, after that we ended the half down 12. Kate only played one quarter after that, and when she came back in during the third, her lip was still attached to her braces."
One of the biggest factors facing the Lady Tigers in their pursuit of their second straight district crown is stopping MT senior Jenna Cobb, who has signed to play college basketball at Division I Butler University, in Indiana.
In their two games against each other Cobb has scored 41 points combined, scoring 15 in their first meeting and 26 in their showdown at The Panther Pit.
"Jenna (Cobb) put on a shooting expedition in the second game," Overstake said. "She was scoring that night and it didn't make a difference who guarded her defensively. But it is not all about her, Miami Trace has a solid team and are coached very well."
For the Lady Tigers (19-3), the key to their successful season has been players stepping up when games mattered most.
MHS sophomore Jenna Perie has stepped up her game this season, as she is the first player to come off the bench, battling for rebounds and scoring on timely put back shot attempts on offensive rebounds, giving the Lady Tigers second and third chance opportunities numerous times during this season.
"That is what we have to do each and every game. We need several players to step and everyone needs to do what needs to be done. But the biggest thing this season has been players stepping up."
One factor the Lady Tigers have going for them this trip to the Convocation Center is the fact they were at the building a season ago, where they defeated then state-ranked and undefeated Unioto.
Each team has been battle-tested over the years, playing top quality teams in postseason play.
"Miami Trace is in the same situation we are in with three and four year varsity players. The players have been through the wars, playing good teams, but we just have to play our best and step up."
But equaling the feat of last season is just the first goal of the postseason, with MHS wanting to exceed that point.
"One thing we have talked about in practice is we want to get past and improve on last year," Overstake said. "At this point you have to play each ballgame with 110 percent effort, and as Coach (Jerrod) Haines told the girls, 'You can't have any regrets and to leave everything out on the floor.'"
McClain and Miami Trace are scheduled to tip-off on Saturday 5 p.m. in Athens.[[In-content Ad]]
This time around, the teams have even more at stake as the winner will be crowned district champion, punching their ticket to the regional tournament and the Sweet 16.
"I don't see many changes in this game from the previous two," McClain head coach Dennis Overstake said. "Both teams pressure on defense and will want to create trap press turnovers. There might be slight changes made, but for the most part both of us will probably stay with what got us here to this point.
"To win, we can't turn the ball over and give them (MT) extra opportunities to score off turnovers. Last year, the big floor (Convo) helped us spread the the ball with our half-court press. The floor gives us space to find lanes."
In what has become the top rivalry in the SCOL, the Lady Tigers split with MT (20-2) this season, with each team winning their home contest, while MHS knocked the Lady Panthers out of the tournament a season ago in the sectional finals.
This season, MT won what was the SCOL clincher at Miami Trace 50-35, but MHS won the first contest a week before their second meeting by a score of 54-49 at McClain High School. In their first meeting, MHS senior Kate Hammond scored her 1,000th point and finished as the high scorer with 18. Then, in game two, Hammond suffered an injury to her mouth as she missed valuable minutes in the 15-point loss to the Lady Panthers. In the loss, Hammond scored 13 points.
"You hate to point out an injury for causing a loss, but when Kate and Jenna (Perie) hit heads we were down three, after that we ended the half down 12. Kate only played one quarter after that, and when she came back in during the third, her lip was still attached to her braces."
One of the biggest factors facing the Lady Tigers in their pursuit of their second straight district crown is stopping MT senior Jenna Cobb, who has signed to play college basketball at Division I Butler University, in Indiana.
In their two games against each other Cobb has scored 41 points combined, scoring 15 in their first meeting and 26 in their showdown at The Panther Pit.
"Jenna (Cobb) put on a shooting expedition in the second game," Overstake said. "She was scoring that night and it didn't make a difference who guarded her defensively. But it is not all about her, Miami Trace has a solid team and are coached very well."
For the Lady Tigers (19-3), the key to their successful season has been players stepping up when games mattered most.
MHS sophomore Jenna Perie has stepped up her game this season, as she is the first player to come off the bench, battling for rebounds and scoring on timely put back shot attempts on offensive rebounds, giving the Lady Tigers second and third chance opportunities numerous times during this season.
"That is what we have to do each and every game. We need several players to step and everyone needs to do what needs to be done. But the biggest thing this season has been players stepping up."
One factor the Lady Tigers have going for them this trip to the Convocation Center is the fact they were at the building a season ago, where they defeated then state-ranked and undefeated Unioto.
Each team has been battle-tested over the years, playing top quality teams in postseason play.
"Miami Trace is in the same situation we are in with three and four year varsity players. The players have been through the wars, playing good teams, but we just have to play our best and step up."
But equaling the feat of last season is just the first goal of the postseason, with MHS wanting to exceed that point.
"One thing we have talked about in practice is we want to get past and improve on last year," Overstake said. "At this point you have to play each ballgame with 110 percent effort, and as Coach (Jerrod) Haines told the girls, 'You can't have any regrets and to leave everything out on the floor.'"
McClain and Miami Trace are scheduled to tip-off on Saturday 5 p.m. in Athens.[[In-content Ad]]