CAREY, Ohio — After being down by 17 with less than four minutes remaining in the game, the Perrysburg girls basketball team had a chance to make it a one possession game in the final minute of their Division I district final showdown on Saturday.
However, Fremont Ross was able to secure a 65-59 victory over the Yellow Jackets, ending Perrysburg’s season at 19-7.
“We had an open three to cut it to one possession and it just didn’t go in but we fought like crazy,” Perrysburg coach Todd Sims said.
Ross coach Juan Vela saw his team hold a double-digit lead throughout most of the second half, until the Yellow Jackets went into a full court press and forced five fourth quarter turnovers, leading to their near comeback.
Perrysburg went on an 11-0 run, bouncing back from a 61-44 deficit to a 61-55 deficit after a steal and layup by junior guard Hayley Griggs off the press with 1:12 remaining. But the Little Giants made 4-of-6 free throws in the final minute to put the game on ice.
“It was a tough game. We knew they were going to bring it,” Vela said. “They are well-coached and a respected program, and it was a great game — exactly what I expected.
“You just never know what side the ball is going to bounce and it bounced on our side and I’m happy for our community and our kids.
“At this time of the tournament, I mean, everyone is fighting every second. Our kids stayed poised and they ran their stuff and we made some mistakes, but we hit some free throws.”
For the second straight year, Ross advances to the Sandusky regional, where the 21-4 Little Giants, the Northern Lakes League Cardinal Division champions, will face off with North Olmsted, the same team that defeated Ross last year in the regional tournament.
Perrysburg got four players into double figures, led by sophomore forward Hayden Siebenaler, who had 14 points, six rebounds, and two steals.
Sophomore forward Sophie Mitchell had 11 points and four rebounds and junior guard Chloe Kilbride and sophomore guard Addy Byrne scored 10 points apiece.
Mitchell and Byrne both connected on a trio of three-point shots, and Griggs scored nine points, including two triples, and had three steals. Junior guard Ayla Turk scored five points.
Perrysburg shot 44% (21-for-48) from the field, made 7-of-12 (58%) from the free throw line and had 10 turnovers.
But Perrysburg did not start well, falling behind 9-2 out of the gate and not getting a field goal until Byrne hit a baseline three with 2:15 remaining in the opening quarter. The Jackets also missed four of six free throws in the opening stanza.
“We missed so many open shots at the beginning to make up,” Sims said.
Sims said playing in a district final may have been a lot to ask for his starters, who are all underclassmen and will return next year.
“It’s the first time in the district final for them, but it was a great experience for down the road. Our future is really bright,” Sims said. “This is a very close team. It’s a great group.
“It’s never a problem finding shots — they will find their teammates and then they will take theirs when they are open.
“We can find teammates and we can drive and pitch and we can finish and do that stuff. This team is really good at doing that,” Sims continued.
Ross senior forward Carma Johnson led all scorers with 18 points and four rebounds, including a personal 7-0 run that was pivotal just after Mitchell hit a corner triple two minutes into the second half to bring the Yellow Jackets to within three, 28-25.
Johnson responded on three straight possessions, scoring on a drive, hitting a corner three of her own, and then again driving to the rim midway through the third period to put the Little Giants up, 35-25.
“Carma is a player who has been in the shadow (of other players) her whole life until this year, and now (senior guard) Destiny (Robinson),” Ross coach Juan Vela said.
“But I always say she’s our winner, she’s our glue, she rebounds, she has assists, she scores, she takes charges, she plays defense, she communicates — she is a player who does everything very well and without her we are not the same team.”
Lyndi Wolf, a 6-foot-2 junior forward, hit four triples to score 16 points as the Little Giants also put four players into double figures.
Robinson, the NLL Cardinal Division Player of the Year and a University of Toledo commit, had 15 points, seven rebounds and four steals.
Perrysburg’s game plan was to keep Robinson from scoring off the dribble drive, but she hit two triples from 23 feet and beyond. Plus, she was constantly dishing off to opponents who had a hot hand.
Robinson had three assists inside of just over 1½ minutes of the third quarter, leading to two triples by Wolf and a basket by junior forward Lanae’ Tucker, who finished with three points.
“Stay between her (Robinson) and the basket — that’s the plan and not let her get past us,” Sims said. “She’s a really good passer, too.
“Everybody in the game was involved in their game. But I thought we did a good job defending her for the most part, but we just couldn’t get enough stops.”
Vela added. “They did a good job on Destiny. She played the whole game and she’s probably a little fatigued, but overall we got the job done.”
Ross shot a steaming 63% (24-for-38) from the floor, including missing just four shots in the second half, going 13-for-17 (76%).
Ross junior guard Jasmine Heidelburg had 11 points and four rebounds and senior forward Abby Cahill had two points and two steals.
The Little Giants were 10-for-16 (63%) from the line, committed 14 turnovers, and held a 28-19 edge off the glass.
