1A regional girls basketball: Thunder strikes M-U in postseason opener

Feb. 11—MOULTON — Jason Ogden got more than he bargained for when he returned to coaching the high school girls basketball team at Moulton-Udell five years ago.

It wasn't just the high school team that Ogden had to coach. There was also a vacancy that needed filling on M-U junior high basketball sidelines.

"We couldn't find a junior high coach, so we had to coach this year's group of seniors when they were in eighth grade," Ogden recalled. "It's kind of special to have that opportunity, getting to coach a group of basketball players for five years. You become close with the families. The girls become close with our families. It becomes about more than the game. You get attached.

"That's what makes this time of year so heart-wrenching."

Abbie Probasco, Hannah King and Grace Wood all played their final basketball game for Moulton-Udell on Thursday night. The senior trio combined to score over half of the points for the Eagles in a 51-34 Class 1A, Region 7 first-round loss to Grand View Christian on the opening night of Iowa High School girls postseason basketball action.

All three Eagle seniors have the unique opportunity to play each of the past five years with the same coach. Not wanting Thursday to be their final night together, the seniors combined to score nine of M-U's first 15 points with a jumper late in the first half by Probasco sending the Eagles into halftime with a 15-14 lead.

"We were feeling confident at that point, but we were prepared to see something different from Grand View Christian in the second half," Probasco said. "We tried hard. The effort was there. I'm proud of my team. We were really excited to play one last game here on our home floor. We were excited to come out here and try and earn another game together."

Ultimately, the visiting Thunder began to strike from the perimeter after missing all 12 shots from outside the 3-point arc in the first half. Delainey Murphy ended that drought by sinking a game-tying 3-pointer early in the third quarter, the first of seven makes from 3-point range for Grand View Christian during a 37-point second half.

"Working as a team and passing the ball around the 3-point line was a big key to us winning," Grand View Christian senior Haley Lane said. "We also got up on defense and started to pressure the ball. We just had to get the ball to the open shooters. Once we saw one go in, it started to get us going and gave us a little more confidence."

Lane would lead the Thunder with a 22-point, 11-rebound double-double. Moulton-Udell stayed close for most of the night, pulling within 36-31 entering the final three minutes on a 3-pointer by Probasco before Lane helped close the game out scoring 10 points during a closing 15-3 run culminating with the shot of the night hit by Lane's younger sister, Riley, sank a 3-pointer coming off the bench in the closing minute to shoot and score despite dealing with a significant injury.

"She actually has a broken kneecap and she's not supposed to be running on it, so I knew I was going to have to screen for her so she could get that shot off," Lane said. "It meant a lot to me that she got in. I'm a senior and I wanted to play with her one last time. That shot was all her. She hopped on one foot and got that shot up there to help contribute."

Kelly DeMeulenaere added a double-double of her own for Grand View Christian, scoring 14 points while collecting 13 steals. Moulton-Udell could not overcome 22 total turnovers in the game, including several that led to easy Thunder baskets.

"In the first half, the ball moved and that's where we had success. There are times we get stuck with the ball sometimes and that's when we get in trouble," Ogden said. "I know it seems crazy to say 22 games in, but we're still trying to find our identity. We have five freshmen that play for us."

One of those freshmen, Adriana Howard, led M-U with a double-double of her own. The six-foot first-year varsity athlete scored 11 points and hauled in a game-high 18 rebounds, showing raw talent that could ultimately be honed into creating one of the area's best basketball players over the next three years.

"Adriana's had a great freshman year. She's led us all season in scoring and rebounding," Ogden said. "Freshmen are going to have the ebbs and flows of an entire season. This was one of those nights for Adriana. She struggled a little bit to get going. She just has to learn how to work through when teams are keying in on her. Once we work through that, I think she's going to be a really nice player for us."

Grand View Christian (9-10) will head to eighth-ranked North Mahaska on Tuesday looking to pull off an upset in the second round of Class 1A regional tournament play. It's a game that Ogden will truly miss preparing for as the Eagles wrapped a 7-15 campaign on Thursday.

"You don't want it to end," Ogden said. "I'm going to miss coming to the gym on Monday to get ready for North Mahaska, but it is what it is. The kids gave it everything they had to give."

— Scott Jackson can be reached at sjackson@ottumwacourier.com. Follow him on Twitter@CourierScott.