Jonathan Alder’s Emma Shepherd fires up a shot during Wednesday’s game against London. Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
There are times when even the best basketball teams have to fight and claw their way to victory.
Such was the case Wednesday evening when the Lady Pioneers of Jonathan Alder battled to a 39-29 victory over Madison County rival London.
“This was one of those ‘grind’em out’ type of games,” said JA head coach Steve Cawley.
The Lady Pioneers did not look as sharp as they normally do, simply because of a fatigue factor.
“This was our fifth game in the last seven days,” said the JA coach. “That’s the type of meat-grinder schedule you can get later in the season if you’ve had games postponed because of bad weather.
“That wasn’t the case with this schedule, so it’s been a bit unusual.”
Alder (17-2 overall and 8-0 in the Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail Division) didn’t play all weaker teams during that brutal stretch.
Included during the run were victories over a strong West Liberty-Salem squad and a huge seven-point triumph over Columbus Bishop Watterson (which is ranked No. 4 in the state Division I poll).
“I think the win over Bishop Watterson convinced the girls we are a really good basketball team,” said Cawley.
It’s not that the Lady Pioneers needed a great deal of reassurance. After all, Alder is ranked seventh in the state D-II poll.
JA (which will travel to Tecumseh on Saturday) opened the game with a pair of three-pointers from Sydney Bourquin and Melissa Walbom.
Those trifectas provided the bulk of Alder’s first-quarter scoring as the Lady Pioneers had trouble dealing with the Red Raiders’ mixture of man-to-man and zone defenses.
The Lady Pioneers had difficulties penetrating the various London zones, which ranged from a 3-2, to 2-3 and some 2-1-2.
JA’s empty possessions over the next few minutes enabled the Red Raiders to take an 8-6 edge with 23.7 seconds left on the opening stanza clock.
Alder tied the game at 8-8 near the buzzer when Sophie Zawodny scored on an assist by Bourquin.
A traditional three-point play by Elli Trimble pushed London out to an 11-8 lead early in the second set.
It took the Lady Pioneers nearly four minutes to score before Walbom hit a jumper.
The Red Raiders responded with a high-arching three-pointer by Darcy Mitchell that gave the visitors a 14-10 margin.
Walbom drilled a three-ball over London’s zone, which prompted the Raiders to switch back to a man-to-man alignment.
Mary Ferrito followed Walbom’s example with a trifecta that returned a 16-14 edge to the Lady Pioneers.
Ferrito also stepped up on the other end of the floor.
She rebounded an errant London shot and went coast-to-coast toward the opposite basket.
Ferrito was fouled on a layup attempt and cashed in on a pair of free throws that gave JA an 18-14 lead.
The teams swapped possessions until Lexi Zablondil’s three-pointer narrowed London’s deficit to 18-17 by the turn.
“I reminded the girls at halftime that we knew this game was going to go this way,” said Cawley. “We were tired, but I told them nobody cares if you’re tired.
“We knew we’d have to tough out this game.”
Alder’s offense fled south of the border during the opening minutes of the third quarter.
Zablondil scored on a backdoor cut and Rachael Alexander tripled home a jumper that pushed London back on top, 22-18.
The Red Raiders’ zone defense continued to frustrate the Lady Pioneers, who could not take the ball inside the paint.
Several good looks at the basket on the perimeter also failed to fall as Alder continued with empty possessions.
London converted an Alder turnover into a basket by Alexander that pushed JA down by a 24-18 deficit.
Things began to look up when Abby Jones’ trifecta pulled Alder to within 24-21.
“Abby made a big shot,” said Cawley.
Jones’ long distance dial-up put a spark into the Lady Pioneers.
Bourquin came up with a steal and got the ball to Jones.
Jones, in turn, assisted on Ferrito’s bucket that pulled JA to within 24-23.
Another Red Raider miscue turned into a three-ball by Ferrito that gave JA a 26-24 lead with 1:02 on the third quarter clock.
Ferrito later saved the ball from going out of bounds.
The pumpkin landed in Jones’ hands and she was fouled on the low block.
Her free throws sent Alder into the fourth quarter with a 28-24 lead.
Alder earned a bit of breathing room within the first couple minutes of the final stanza.
Free throws from Walbom and Jones padded JA’s advantage at 32-25.
London’s offense went stale for the next several minutes.
On the other hand, the Lady Pioneers weren’t in any hurry to score as they nursed a lead that stood at six and seven points.
Walbom later scored on an inbounds play for a 35-27 lead.
Jones then put the ball in the hoop for a 37-27 margin with 1:33 left in the game.
The Red Raiders missed a shot and Alder’s Emma Shepherd grabbed the rebound.
The Lady Pioneers spread the floor and took the air out of the ball.
“Stalling is something I really don’t like to do,” said Cawley. “However, when you’re in the type of situation we were in, you do what you have to do.”
As such, London was forced to foul in order to stop the clock.
Alder was in the double bonus when Walbom hit a charity toss for a 38-27 lead.
Jones later followed suit with a free throw that gave JA its final point.
The Lady Pioneers backed off their defensive pressure during the waning seconds of the game.
Alexander hit an uncontested basket for the Red Raiders right before the buzzer.
Cawley, who looked exhausted after the battle, said he was giving his team a day off today.
“We went 5-0 during a very rugged portion of our schedule,” he said. “I’m very proud of this team.”
Jonathan Alder
Walbom 4-3-13, Jones 2-6-11, Ferrito 2-2-8, Bourquin 2-0-5, Zawodny 1-0-2, S. Bushong 0-0-0, Shepherd 0-0-0, Wilson 0-0-0. Totals 11-11-39.
Three-point goals: Walbom 2, Ferrito 2, Jones 1, Bourquin 1.
London
Alexander 3-3-10, Mitchell 2-1-6, Trimble 2-2-6, Zablondil 2-0-5, Mitchell 0-2-2, Scott 0-0-0, Homan 0-0-0. Totals 9-8-29.
Three-point goals: Alexander 1, Mitchell 1, Zablondil 1.
Mary Ferrito (44) of JA battles for a rebound. The Lady Pioneers downed the Red Raiders, 39-29. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)