Bellaire's Eliana Mason, proper, and Zara Harveth guard Fort Frye's Ava Huffman throughout Wednesday's district semifinals in Cambridge. Fort Frye gained, 43-27. (Photograph by Mike Morrison)
CAMBRIDGE — That previous tried and true adage that protection by no means takes an evening off proved true as soon as once more Wednesday night time within the Division III Japanese District Semifinals at Cambridge Excessive Faculty between top-seeded Fort Frye Cadets 1 and Bellaire Huge, seeded quantity four. The Reds.
Wonderful crew protection gave the Cadets a while to not get chased offensively, and as soon as they did, they pulled away for a 43-27 win.
The Cadets trailed Bellaire 10-Eight late within the first quarter, however allowed a game-high 17 factors the remainder of the way in which to enhance to 19-6 on the season and punch their ticket to the district title recreation of Saturday afternoon in opposition to Union Native at a location to be decided.
“We missed quite a lot of good photographs early, however our protection stayed stable,” Fort Frye head coach Dan Liedtke stated. “We hung in there till we bought issues to click on, and we knew finally we’d.”
Fort Frye couldn't purchase a bucket early, particularly from behind the Three-point arc, as they missed their first 9 makes an attempt and have been shut out within the first interval.
Fort Frye's Kianna O'Brien, left, handles the ball in opposition to Bellaire throughout Wednesday's district semifinals in Cambridge. Fort Frye gained, 43-27. (Photograph by Mike Morrison)
Then again, Bellaire began sturdy from the surface as they bought Three-pointers from Allie Ault and Rhyan O'Grady late within the first quarter as they constructed a two-point lead.
That lead grew to 5 early within the second quarter, as after Fort Frye's Eliana Mason and Emmie Duskey traded two-pointers, Zara Harveth knocked down a triple to offer the Huge Reds a lead by 15-10.
Fort Frye missed two extra from behind the arc to open the second quarter earlier than freshman Ella Dowler lastly broke the ice for the Cadets, draining a triple to chop the result in two.
After senior Kianna O'Brien's inside purpose tied issues up, Dowler struck as soon as once more from lengthy vary to place the Cadets in entrance.
Duskey ended the primary half with a two-pointer as Fort headed into the locker room with a 20-15 lead.
Liedtke has been fairly impressed with the work Dowler has given his bench crew all season and particularly in clutch conditions
“She's been taking part in nice and she or he's going to a different degree proper now.” Liedtke stated of his 5-foot-5 freshman, who’s normally the primary lady off the bench for the Cadets. “You hope when you could have younger gamers, by the point the tournaments come round, they'll develop up and she or he's doing simply that and taking part in with much more confidence.”
The Huge Reds would take no time in any respect to even issues up within the second half as they bought two factors from Harveth and Mason and an quaint three level play from Sidney Rowson to tie the sport at 22-22.
Dowler answered for Fort with a base runner for 2 after which assisted Duskey on a floater to push the result in 4.
The Cadets relied on one other freshman for an enormous shot as Ava Huffman closed the third quarter with a Three-ball to ship the Cadets into the ultimate interval with a 29-22 lead.
Early within the ultimate interval, the Cadets bought a Three-pointer from O'Brien that made it an eight-point lead, however Bellaire answered with a Three-pointer from Harveth to chop the result in 32-27 with six minutes to play.
Sadly for Bellaire head coach John Farrier and his crew, these could be the final factors they’d rating within the recreation, because the Cadets shut them down within the ultimate six minutes to return away with the 16-point victory.
Duskey led all scorers with 16 factors, and her veteran ground management paid off for the Cadets as nicely.
“She's a really educated and skilled participant, and since she was a freshman, she's been in these massive video games.” stated Liedtke of Duskey. “She is a real veteran and an ideal chief.”
Dowler additionally reached double figures with 11 factors whereas main the Cadets in rebounds with seven, steals with 4 and tied Duskey for the crew lead with three assists.
Bellaire was led in scoring by Harveth with eight and Ault with seven as their season ends with a 16-9 report.
The Cadets will now set their sights on a Union Native Jets crew Saturday for the District title at 1 p.m. at a website to be decided.
“We all know them very nicely and performed them within the common season and lots final yr” stated Liedtke of Union Native, a crew the Cadets knocked off 37-28 within the season opener. “They're an ideal crew, however we'll be prepared.”