BROOKVILLE – The Newton Indians went on a 14-0 run to blow open a close game and hand Franklin Monroe a 43-27 loss in the second round of the Ohio High School Athletic Association girls basketball tournament.
In the first quarter both teams came out firing, and when the dust settled it was the Lady Indians grabbing a 19-12 lead due to a couple of long range second chance points by Tatum McBride.
The Jets got 4 points each from Corina Conley and Chloe Peters along with 2 each from Belle Cable and Audrey Cable in the period.
The second quarter spelled trouble for the Jets as Conley found a seat on the bench and the outside shots just weren’t falling.
Kinsey Goins scored 4 points off the bench but Franklin Monroe would trail 26-18 at the half.
The good news for FM was its defense was doing all it could to frustrate the Indians and that included slowing down McBride with Audrey Cable drawing the assignment.
In the third quarter Audrey Cable got some help from Kennedy Morris and again defensively the Jets held their own, only giving up 3 points … but again offensively nothing was going in the basket and the score was 29-22.
In a defensive battle 7 points could be erased quickly on two triples … but the Newton would go on a run that Franklin Monroe was unable to answer and in a blink of an eye the Indians led by 16 points a lead that on this night would be insurmountable late in the game.
Newton would win it 43-27 and advance to the sectional title game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at in Brookville with a match-up against Tri-Village.
It was a disappointment for Franklin Monroe, who just a few weeks ago beat Newton 51-46.
“We struggled putting the ball in the hole tonight, and that was the difference in the game,” Franklin Monroe coach Abbey Moore said. “It just wasn’t happening for us tonight.
“It’s a tough way to go out, but I’m extremely proud of the girls and what they accomplished this year … but we are not satisfied with the way it ended.
“I’m excited about the future of FM basketball, and I told our girls in the locker room that means you have to come out and work five times harder … because next year teams will be out for you, so I hope that is enough motivation for them to go out and do it this summer,” Moore concluded.
The Lady Jets end their season with a 14-10 overall record and 8-4 in the Cross-County Conference.
Score by quarters:
NEW 19 … 07 … 03 … 14 – 43
FM … 12 … 06 … 04 … 03 – 27
Team scoring:
Newton
McBride 16, Flanary 1, Carroll 15, Stine 4, Hildebrand 7 – Total 43
Franklin Monroe
B. Cable 2, A. Cable 7, Conley 6, Peters 6, Goins 4, Morris 2 – Totals 27
