Late Tiger Cub rally falls short against Mounties

Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Greencastle's Emma Hunter scored a game-high 20 points in the season-opening 40-37 loss against Southmont Tuesday night, including three of the Tiger Cubs' five three-point baskets.
Banner Graphic/TRENT SCOTT

Opening night for the 2022-23 girls’ basketball season came with the usual amount of nervous energy one would expect as Greencastle and Southmont tipped off Tuesday night.

It took three quarters for both teams to get into a rhythm, leading to a frantic pace in the fourth quarter, one in which the Mounties saw an eight-point lead whittled down to two before ultimately hanging on for a 40-37 win over the Tiger Cubs.

“(Southmont) was a pretty good fundamental team,” Greencastle head coach Doug Greenlee said. “They ran a backdoor offense and while I didn’t want to play a lot of 1-3-1, we couldn’t handle them in man-to-man.

“The reason they won this game is because they got the ball inside and we didn’t until later in the game.”

Emma Hunter opened the game with a three before three-straight Southmont baskets gave the visitors a 6-3 lead.

A Stephanie Morales free throw and basket from Bailey Brown tied the score at 6-6 though a late free throw from Chloe Jenkins gave the Mounties a 7-6 lead after a quarter.

Hunter kept the offense going, hitting a three and three free throws to keep Greencastle close, tying the score at 12-12, though a late Jenkins basket gave the Mounties a 14-12 lead at halftime.

Both teams accounted for nearly 40 turnovers in the first half and over 60 for the game and while Greenlee said there were too many turnovers early, foul trouble was the area he was most concerned about.

“One of the three points of emphasis we’ve been talking about this year is not having unnecessary fouls and we had several of those tonight,” Greenlee said as the Tiger Cubs were outshot 23-10 at the line. “Our decision makings in one-on-one defense wasn’t good at times as we were reaching in a lot.

“I don’t think we were ever at a point in the game where we were ever in control of the game.”

Evelyn Briones began to chip in, hitting a three to start the second half with Hunter adding another, though Jenkins replied each time to tie the score at 18-18.

Briones hit another three and Hunter added a basket following a three from Delorean Mason, a Cheyenne Shaw jumper and Jenkins free throw as Southmont led 24-23 after three quarters of play.

Two Mason free throws and a Jenkins putback gave the visitors a five-point lead at 30-25 while another Jenkins putback made it 34-27.

Hunter score twice to cut the gap to 35-31 but Jenkins scored again, as would Shaw, while Hunter picked up her fifth foul on a drive to the basket, leaving the Tiger Cubs staring at a 39-31 deficit.

Briones picked up the slack, scoring three-straight baskets to cut the gap to 39-37 with a minute to play.

Chelsea Veatch would hit a free throw to make it 40-37 and crucially blocked a last second Aleeyah Johnson three to preserve the win for Southmont.

Greencastle travels to Edgewood Friday with both teams looking for their first win of the season.

Greenlee said while the loss wasn’t ideal, he expected a response against the Mustangs.

“Playing down there will be tough but I’m really looking forward to that game,” Greenlee said. “I wish we were getting on the bus right now to go down there.

“We will be better than what we were tonight and I told the girls we have a lot to work on after tonight. We’ll come back (Wednesday), go to work and while you hate losing your home opener, we didn’t do enough good things tonight.”

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Scoring

Southmont (12 2FG; 2 3FG; 10-23 FT) — Jenkins 15, Mason 8, Shaw 8, Woods 4, Veatch 3, Gray 2

Greencastle (8 2FG; 5 3FG; 6-10 FT) — Hunter 20, Briones 14, Brown 2, Morales 1

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