GHS season ends with tough regional loss to Indian Creek

GHS sophomore Taylor Stoltey displays her athleticism on a drive through the Indian Creek defense. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

DANVILLE -- There's no good way to lose in the postseason. There are no lessons to take from it, no games left to improve later in the year.

So when the Greencastle girls' basketball team lost to Indian Creek 53-39 in the Danville regional semifinal on Saturday, there was no moral victory.

The Tiger Cubs played well. The teams were tied at halftime. The Braves had more talent, but the Cubs refused to give in. GHS wore out in the second half, Indian Creek's stars took over and Greencastle lost.

Greencastle senior Rayleigh Amis makes her final high school basket, a layup late in the third quarter on Saturday. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

"I told them before the game that we deserve to be here, and we played like we deserve to be here," GHS coach Bradley Key said. "We were picked to lose by 30 points. ... We were in it until literally the last minute and a half."

Indian Creek's star -- senior Ally Lehman, a Northern Illinois University recruit -- presented matchup problems the Tiger Cubs had to plan for.

The plan, a diamond-and-one defense, slowed Lehman's offense but left GHS susceptible to giving up offensive rebounds. Indian Creek had 19.

"The effort that Rayleigh Amis gave for us was outstanding," Key said. "She's a warrior and she's a winner. She didn't want to lose. We're going to miss her."

With senior Amis following Lehman like a growing leaf chasing the sun, and the rest of the team searching for Amis' shadow, other Braves snuck in for backside rebounds.

Indian Creek's poor shooting (20-for-57 in the game) was nullified.

"I told the team, if there was anything that wasn't great today, it was that we gave up some rebounds," Key said. "But the defense that we were playing makes you vulnerable to that. You'd maybe rather give a up a couple rebounds than let Lehman or (senior Brooke) Mathena get loose."

Greencastle took chances on offense, pushing the ball up to sophomore Taylor Stoltey on the wing, then cutting through the lane for open transition looks.

Stoltey had five assists and 11 points. She also had eight rebounds in her best varsity game of the year.

"Taylor Stoltey played an unbelievable first half," Key said. "The cool part of that game was, Indian Creek's bread and butter is the 1-3-1 (zone defense). They kill teams with it. And we sliced it and diced it.

"I think we only had a couple turnovers that were costly against that 1-3-1. Our Achilles heel all year has been some turnovers when people pressure us. All week we worked with it and we did a great job. I couldn't ask for anything better from my girls, honestly. I'm proud of how each and every one of them played."

Indian Creek's superior experience finally took its toll after the break. Eight of the Braves' 16 third-quarter points came on second- or third-chance baskets.

GHS couldn't put together a run, and having avoided fouls the whole second half, they had little option of extending the game.

"(The Braves) hit some shots down the stretch. They've been in bigger games than we have," Key said. "We played that game against two seniors (Lehman and Mathena) who have played for four years. We had a bunch of sophomores out there."

Amis had 10 points in the game, but wasn't an offensive threat until the end of her senior season. Senior Jessi Covert provides leadership, but her on-court contributions weren't made until the final possession of the game.

Lehman's offense was contained, as she scored just 13 points, but she also added 18 rebounds, four assists, three steals and four blocks.

Mathena had four points and five rebounds.

Sophomore Jessica Lenihan had 12 points and nine rebounds to lead GHS.

It was Greencastle's first regional appearance since 1993. The team hasn't won a regional since 1980.

With the success the team had this year, and the leadership provided by exiting Amis and Covert, Key said he thinks that could change soon.

"We believed all year that we could win sectional. There was always belief, and we did," Key said. "We've got a great program going. They're fun. They're funny. Our bus rides to and from places are awesome.

"The expectation that we're going to win -- they believe -- I think it's invaluable for the future. Give credit to Rayleigh and Jessi for instilling some of those values to the younger kids, because it's contagious.

"Winning is contagious. Working hard is contagious. Wanting this feeling out here, for regional on Saturday in February. Just awesome."

IHSAA regional semifinal at Danville
Indian Creek.........14 9 16 14 -- 53
Greencastle...........9 14 10 6 -- 39