Versailles girls basketball team cruises past National Trail in OHSAA sectional tournament

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PITSBURG – Versailles used its inside scoring attack and a demoralizing, suffocating defensive effort to dominate National Trail 45-16 in the opening round of the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division III girls basketball tournament.

“It’s always first game jitters,” Lady Tigers coach Jacki Stonebraker said. “Asked the girls how they liked playing on the FM court, and a lot of them liked it.”

It certainly showed. Versailles pitched a shutout in the opening quarter. The Tigers simply did not allow the Lady Trail Blazers to get into their offense.

Offensively four Lady Tigers contributed to give them an 11-0 lead after one quarter.

In the second period Versailles took the ball inside to Danielle Winner and Lauren Monnin, who combined for 13 of the team’s 15 points in the quarter. The defense remained sharp, giving up only a lone 3-pointer by Payten Laird. At the intermission the Lady Tigers were in full control, 26-3.

Versailles’ third quarter offense consisted of six points more from Winner and five from starting point guard Camille Watren. Watren took over the point for this game for the injured Kami McEldowney, who was recovering from an injury suffered in the regular season finale.

“I expect Kami back Wednesday,” Coach Stonebraker said.

The defense remained sharp and once again did not permit the Lady Blazers to register a single point in a period. The score after three quarters was 37-3 Versailles.

National Trail did manage to put 13 points on the board in the fourth quarter to Versailles’ eight, but the outcome was well decided.

“Everybody played a lot of minutes,” Stonebraker said. “We got up and down the court. It had been nine days since we had played … I really feel like we came out solid and finished solid.”

Versailles raised its record to 17-6 on the year and advances to the second round of tournament play at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday against Northeastern at Franklin Monroe.

Box score:

Versailles – 45

Watren 9, Langston 3, K Ording 2, Schmitmeyer 2, Winner 16, Monnin 9, Marshal 2, E Ording 2.

National Trail – 16

Laird 3, Jones 2, Mize 3, E Byrd 2, J Byrd 6.

3-pointers: Vers: 1(Watren); NT: 1(Laird).

Free throws: Vers: 8-17; NT: 2-5.

https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_WEB-DSCN1396.jpg Tim Alley|For The Daily Advocate

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Versailles’ Danielle Winner puts up a shot during an Ohio High School Athletic Association sectional tournament girls basketball game against National Trail on Saturday at Franklin Monroe.
https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_Danielle-Winner-WEB-6.jpgVersailles’ Danielle Winner puts up a shot during an Ohio High School Athletic Association sectional tournament girls basketball game against National Trail on Saturday at Franklin Monroe. Tim Alley|For The Daily Advocate

By Tim Alley

For The Daily Advocate

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