Journey Blevins, left, of North Union leaps for a jump shot against an Africentric defender during the Division III Central District championship game at the Columbus Convention Center. Blevins tallied nine points during the loss. (Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
When you face the defending Division III state champions, you know it is going to be a tough game.
North Union girls head coach Bre Nauman knew it was going to be a mountain of a contest before the tip-off.
The Lady Cats, however, took the floor and watched their 2020 season come to a close at the Division III Central District championship game.
NU fell to Columbus Africentric, 71-25.
Despite finishing as the runners-up in the contest, Nauman said she doesn’t want this game to be a reflection of the season NU had.
“We had a heck of a season,” she said. “We were Central Buckeye Conference divisional champs and made it this far in the tournament.
“We did it all while playing the basketball that we know how to play,” she said.
NU had a plan to start the contest and that was to work the ball to the inside. Journey Blevins and Sydney Bacon got the call to take care of the rock in the low post and both found points one way or another.
Bacon tallied the Lady Cats’ only basket from the field while Blevins collected her points on drawing fouls, which she converted into free throws.
Even with the effort, Africentric pressed and guarded the Cats tightly while picking up point-after-point.
As a result, the Nubians took a 23-7 lead by the end of the first quarter.
That effort from the Lady Cats was appreciated by their bench boss.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” said Nauman. “We did what we could do and we didn’t give up.”
Blevins was tapped again in the second quarter to do the heavy lifting.
She found her success again from the free throw line by hitting all four of her attempts.
Jordyn Hoffman sank a trey from the corner to help give NU an additional seven points.
Africentric, though, ran its way to 25 points in the quarter and took a 48-14 lead at the half.
With the large lead to open the third quarter, the running clock rule was implemented.
Once the spread is greater than 35 points during a post-season game, there is a continuous clock.
The Lady Cats continued to work that ball inside, but Africentric’s height was too much to overcome.
The Nubians held a 62-17 lead going into the final quarter.
With the writing on the wall, North union tried to find any way to put the ball in the bucket.
Maddison Amstutz came up with five points from the field, but the gap was too much to overcome.
Even with the loss, Nauman said she was happy to have a “turn-around” season.
“We were a team that didn’t win a tournament game last year and turned around to make it to the district finals,” she said. “That is a goal for any team, to be the last 32 in the division.”
Nauman added that is was her senior crew of Amstutz, Bacon, Kori Marvin, Brycelyn Dieckert, Guy and Gabby Ziegler that really helped NU make it this far in the season.
“It will be hard because a lot of them are the glue for this team,” she said. “For all of the girls to gain knowledge of the game in just a year and half and do what we have done this season, they have done a remarkable job.”
The Lady Cats finished the season with a 16-9 record.
Africentric
Walker 7-0-14, Al. Smith 6-1-13, Thornton 4-3-12, Johnson 5-0-10, Ar. Smith 4-1-9, Brock 2-0-4, Ransom 1-0-3, Brownlee 1-0-2, Murphy 1-0-2. Wheat 1-0-2. Totals 32-5-71.
Three-point goals: Thornton 1, Ransom 1.
North Union
Blevins 1-7-9, Bacon 1-3-5, Amstutz 2-0-5, Hoffman 1-0-3, Guy 0-2-2, Ziegler 0-1-1. Totals 5-13-25.
Three-point goals: Amstutz 1, Hoffman 1.