Greencastle loses second straight contest of 2009

GREENCASTLE -- It's starting to look like deja vu for the Lady Tiger Cubs.

First they were down by one, then 11, then 18 and before Greencastle knew it, Tri-West was walking into the locker room with a 60-43 win, handing the Lady Tiger Cubs their second straight loss -- just like last year.

Last season Greencastle went on a 1-6 slide after losing to Tri-West in overtime last season.

"Tri-West played really well," GHS coach Brad Key said. "Sam Ricks and Megan Bennett are really hard to defend."

Ricks and Bennett had a combined 24 points Tuesday night and no matter what Greencastle did, it could not stop the dynamic duo.

Greencastle's own power duo, Mallory Miller and Chelsea Samuels, could never get into a rhythm. Samuels was a combined 2-for-11 while Miller went 2-for-6 for the night, scoring only eight points total.

"They did a great job of shutting down Mallory," Key said. "Up until tonight she as averaging 22 points a game. We had a hard time finding her tonight. I think there were times where she was open and we didn't do a good job of getting the ball to her and she needs to learn to go the ball."

In the first quarter, Greencastle kept with the Lady Bruins and only trailed by one. Then in the second, Greencastle hit a wall, converting only 30 percent of its shots on 3-for-10 shooting, trailing 31-20 at the half.

But it was the third quarter than hurt them the most.

The Lady Tiger Cubs scored a measly six points while Tri-West put up 13. Greencastle only converted two of its 13 shots and went 2-for-6 from the foul line and looked like a team that had given up.

"Mallory and Chelsea are the only two members of this team that really have varsity experience," Key said. "Our guards are new to this experience. This isn't a run and gun game and it gets confusing for them.

"They did do a good job of changing up their defense and confusing us, but we need to learn to take care of the ball better," Key added.

Greencastle finally got into a rhythm in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Lady Bruins, 17-16, for the first time in the matchup. Tennille Burgeson turned up the pressure on defense, forcing Tri-West to turn the ball over and scoring on the transition. Out of 17 points Greencastle scored, Burgeson scored eight, and they were all on the transition.

In junior varsity action, Greencastle lost 45-4.

Greencastle is back in action on Saturday when it hosts Edgewood with tipoff slated for 11 a.m.

At McAnally Center

Greencastle 13 7 6 17 -- 43

Tri-West 14 17 13 16 -- 60

Greencastle -- Nobles 1 0-0 2, Burgeson 5 0-0 10, Nichols 1 1-2 3, Samuels 3 3-7 9, Babington 0 1-2 1, Brotherton 1 0-0 2, Wainman 1 0-0 2, Miller 2 2-2 8, Pruitt 3 0-0 6. Totals -- FG 17, FT 7-13, TP 43

Tri-West -- Jobe 1 0-2 2, DeSutter 2 0-0 2, Edens 2 1-4 5, Ricks 5 0-0 13, Allen 2 0-0 5, Robertson 2 0-0 2, Bennett 6 2-2 15, Harris 0 0-0 0, Craft 5 1-2 11. Totals -- FG 25, FT 4-10, TP 60.

Next Game -- Greencastle is back in action on Saturday when it hosts Edgewood with tip off slated for 11 a.m.