The Miami Trace Lady Panthers held on to a share of first place in the South Central Ohio League Wednesday, Feb. 1, with a 48-47 home win over the McClain Lady Tigers.
Miami Trace improves to 11-1 in the SCOL and breaks a four-game losing streak in the process to move to 15-4 overall.
McClain falls to 6-6 in the SCOL, 9-10 overall.
Chillicothe defeated East Clinton Wednesday, 43-35 to move to 11-1 in the SCOL, 17-2 overall.
Miami Trace survived a barrage of three-point field goals by McClain. The Lady Tigers hit 9 of 21 three-point baskets for a very fine 43 percent.
The Lady Panthers went 3 of 9 from three-point range.
Miami Trace junior Tanner Bryant was the game’s leading scorer with 19 points.
Freshman Shaylee McDonald scored a career-high 16 points, including hitting two three-point baskets.
Junior Victoria Fliehman hit one three-point shot and scored a total of nine points.
For McClain, senior Malea Montavon led with 18 points. She hit four three-point shots and went 4 of 4 from the line.
For the game, the Lady Tigers struggled at the line, making 4 of 9 attempts for 44 percent.
Miami Trace went 9 of 11 from the free throw line for 82 percent.
“I was very disappointed in our team defense,” Miami Trace head coach Ben Ackley said. “We didn’t do a very good job of communicating and executing the game plan going in and they made us pay for all of our mistakes.
“It’s a learning process and hopefully it will make us better moving forward,” Ackley said. “It’s late in the season and we need to be dotting our ‘I’s’ and crossing our ‘T’s going into the tournament, as tough as our Sectional is.”
Miami Trace led at the end of the first quarter, 7-5.
At the half, the game was tied, 22-22.
Miami Trace took a five-point lead after three quarters, 15-10 for a 37-32 lead.
McClain outscored Miami Trace by four points in the fourth quarter (15-11) including hitting a three-point shot at the end.
Senior Samantha Ritenour and sophomore Cassidy Lovett led Miami Trace in rebounds, each with four.
Miami Trace will be back in action Saturday at noon at East Clinton High School.
The Lady Panthers play at Unioto Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 11 they host Washington at 5:30 p.m.
McClain is at Clinton-Massie Saturday.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
MT 7 15 15 11 — 48
Mc 5 17 10 15 — 47
MIAMI TRACE — Cassidy Lovett 0-2-2; Hanna Reisinger 0-0-0; Shaylee McDonald 4 (2)-2-16; Morgan Miller 0-0-0; Victoria Fliehman 2 (1)-2-9; Tanner Bryant 8-3-19; Samantha Ritenour 1-0-2. TOTALS — 15 (3)-9-48. Free throw shooting: 9 of 11 for 82 percent. Three-point field goals: McDonald, 2; Fliehman. Combined field goal shooting: 18 of 37 for 49 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 3 of 9 for 33 percent. Rebounds: 23 (8 offensive). Assists: 10. Steals: 4. Turnovers: 13.
McCLAIN — Maddie Stegbauer 1 (1)-0-5; Malea Montavon 1 (4)-4-18; Taylor Polley 2-0-4; Kelli Uhrig 0-0-0; Lexie Barton 1 (3)-0-11; Liz Kegley 0-0-0; Makenzie Montavon 1-0-2; Beth Montgomery 2 (1)-0-7. TOTALS — 8 (9)-4-47. Free throw shooting: 4 of 9 for 44 percent. Three-point field goals: Malea Montavon, 4; Barton, 3; Stegbauer, Montgomery. Combined field goal shooting: 17 of 42 for 40 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 9 of 21 for 43 percent. Turnovers: 13.
