Lady Tiger Cubs edge Sparkplugs, 52-50

Saturday, January 5, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Greencastle Tiger Cubs girls' basketball team traveled to Speedway Friday night, hoping to hand the Sparkplugs their first West Central Conference loss of the season.

The Lady Tiger Cubs had not played a game since Dec. 18 when they hosted North Central.

The layoff did not seem to affect Greencastle as the Tiger Cubs handed Speedway their first Conference loss of the season, 52-50.

"Tonight was one of the biggest wins that we have had in the last three years, and it gives us a shot at winning the Conference," commented Greencastle coach Glen Hile after the game.

Greencastle led at the end of the first and second quarters, 16-15, and 26-25, respectively, by using a balanced, unselfish offense that allowed Hannah Spencer, Kelsey Hennette, Olivia Miller, Grace Fisher, Becky Grivas, and Chelsea Samuels to get into the scorebook for the Tiger Cubs in the first half.

However, Speedway began to pull away from Greencastle in the second half, leading 37-29 with 2:45 left in the third quarter, but Mallory Miller scored five points, and Cassie Alspaugh threw a perfect pass to Fisher and she hit a three-point shot at the buzzer, cutting the Sparkplugs' lead going into the fourth quarter to three points, 41-38.

With Greencastle trailing 45-40 with 5:00 left in the game, Coach Hile had his team apply full court pressure to Speedway, and that completely changed the momentum of the game.

The Tiger Cubs scored eight unanswered points during the next three minutes of the game, taking the lead at 48-47, and the score was tied at 50-50 with 0:41 left in the game.

Greencastle sealed the win when Grivas hit Cassie Alspaugh with an assist and Alspaugh calmly hit a two-point, game winning shot with 0:10.9 showing on the clock, to hand the Sparkplugs their first Conference loss of the season.

"We went into our full court pressure back to half court trap, and it slowed Speedway down, and we picked up our intensity. It got us some steals and the turnovers we wanted," said Hile.

"We play Northview tomorrow in a make-up game, and Mooresville Tuesday night, then we have a really big game at South Putnam next Friday night that will mean a lot in the Conference," added Hile.

Greencastle had two players scoring double figures, Spencer and Hennette with 13 each.

Fisher followed with seven, Olivia Miller had six, Mallory Miller added five, Grivas scored four, and Alspaugh and Samuels closed out the Tiger Cub scoring with two points each.

Hennette had a double-double as she led the Tiger Cubs in rebounds with 11 boards.

Olivia Miller had a game-high one blocked shot, and Alspaugh had five assists, and Fisher and Spencer led the Tiger Cubs with four steals each.

The Tiger Cubs (6-6, 1-1 WCC) travel to Brazil today (Saturday) to play Northview. The junior varsity game begins at 11:00.

At Speedway

Greencastle16 10 12 14 -- 52
Speedway15 10 16 9 -- 50

Greencastle (6-6, 1-1 WCC) -- Fisher 3-5 0-0 7, Spencer 4-15 5-8 13, O. Miller 3-4 0-0 6, Samuels 0-1 2-2 2, Grivas 2-6 0-0 4, Hennette 5-9 3-4 13, Alspaugh 1-5 0-1 2, Nobles 0-0 0-0 0, M. Miller 1-3 2-2 5. Totals 19-48 FG, 12-17 FT, 52 TP.

Speedway (8-4, 2-1 WCC) -- Jones 5-5 2-2 12, Anglea 4-9 0-1 8, Hubbard 0-0 0-0 0, Miller 3-11 2-3 9, Walton 3-7 0-0 8, Emerson 3-6 0-0 7, Tierney 2-7 1-2 6. Totals 20-45 FG, 5-8, FT, 50 TP.

3-pt. FG - G 2-7 (Fisher 1-2, Spencer 0-1, Alspaugh 0-2, M. Miller 1-2), S 5-14 (Miller 1-4, Walton 2-4, Emerson 1-1, Tierney 1-5). Rebounds - G 32 (Fisher 3, Spencer 7, O. Miller 3, Grivas 2, Hennette 11, Alspaugh 4, Nobles 1, M. Miller 1), S 16 (Jones 4, Anglea 3, Miller 1, Walton 1, Emerson 5, Tierney 2). Blocks -- G 1 (O. Miller 1), S 0. Assists -- G 13 (Fisher 1, Spencer 4, O. Miller 1, Grivas 1, Hennette 1, Alspaugh 5), S 13 (Hubbard 1, Miller 6, Walton 1, Emerson 2, Tierney 3). Steals -- G 11 (Fisher 4, Spencer 4, O. Miller 2, Hennette 1), S 6 (Jones 1, Miller 2, Emerson 3). Total fouls -- G 15, S 14. Fouled out -- O. Miller, Anglea. Turnovers - G 14, S 14.

Next game -- The Tiger Cubs (6-6, 1-1 WCC) travel to Brazil today (Saturday) to play Northview. The junior varsity game begins at 11:00.

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