Basketball is a game of five-on-five. In this instance, it also applied to jersey numbers. Abbey Price, right, No. 5 for North Union, prepares to drive against Indian Lake’s Halley Talbot (5). NU clinched at least a share of the Central Buckeye Conference Mad River Division title with the victory.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Bob Putman)
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The 2021-22 girls basketball regular season is down to a handful of games, but that does not mean there is not still time for teams to learn and get better.
North Union head coach Bre Jackson is seeing that learning in full view as the regular season is moving to a conclusion.
“We are a young team and the girls are growing mentally,” she said.
The Lady Cats have been involved in several very physical games of late and for the most part they are receiving passing grades.
With a 56-44 victory over Indian Lake, North Union clinched at least a tie for first place in the Central Buckeye Conference’s Mad River Division.
NU is 15-2 overall and 7-0 in the Mad River Division.
However, it has not been the easiest road to continue toward a league title.
“We have a target on our backs and each opponent is going to give us their best game,” Jackson said.
Indian Lake’s best shot was not enough to derail North Union during the game on the NU hardwood.
“It was a good team win,” Jackson said. “We had players step up at different moments of the game to become leaders.”
Jackson can point to the fact that each of the seven players who logged minutes against the Lakers scored at least one point, while six of the seven tallied at least one rebound or one steal.
The ability to connect from behind the three-point arc helped North Union take a 13-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Zoe Wedding, Audrey Benedict and Jada Davis each dropped in a trey, while Benedict and Taran Moran added two-point field goals.
Five free throws by Abbey Price during the first portion of the second quarter sparked the Lady Cats to a 20-11 lead.
Indian Lake, though, rallied to cut the gap to 20-15 with 2:33 remaining before halftime.
North Union finished the frame strong, scoring the last seven points.
The run was capped by Wedding’s three-point goal with 32 seconds left to make it 27-15 at the turn.
The closing second-quarter momentum carried over to the opening minutes of the third period.
Benedict netted a three-point goal, while Price dropped in two more free throws and traditional three-point play for a 35-15 advantage.
North Union finished the quarter with a 41-27 lead.
Indian Lake made an early run in the fourth stanza to try and get back into the contest.
A three-point goal by Stephanie Alstaetter and her baseline jumper in the first minute of the fourth quarter cut the margin to 41-32.
North Union quickly elevated the lead back over double digits on a steal and layup by Hope Hall and Wedding’s three-point goal to make it 46-32.
The Lady Cats led by double figures the rest of the way.
Price topped North Union in scoring with 15 points, while Benedict notched 10 and Davis and Wedding each had nine.
Price also had six rebounds and five assists while Davis had three steals.
The Lakers’ Alstaetter led all scorers with 21 points.
North Union won the junior varsity game 38-13.
Savannah Amstutz led the Lady Cats with 14 points and Brenna Martino added nine points and 12 rebounds.
North Union returns to play on Saturday at St. Paris Graham.
North Union
Ab. Price 2-11-15, Benedict 4-0-10, Davis 2-4-9, Wedding 3-0-9, Moran 4-0-8, Hall 1-2-4, Al. Price 0-1-1. Three-point goals: Wedding 3, Benedict 2, Ab. Price, Davis.
Indian Lake
Alstaetter 8-5-21, Dixon 3-0-7, Edwards 2-0-5, McCullough 2-1-5, Kinney 1-0-3, Talbot 1-0-2, Roby 0-1-1. Three-point goals: Dixon, McCullough, Kinney.