Ashland exacts revenge on Madison in momentum-building OCC win
MADISON TOWNSHIP - Citing a total team effort, the Ashland High School girls basketball team avenged an earlier season defeat by defeating Madison 54-43 in Ohio Cardinal Conference action Thursday night.
Ashland, now 3-7 in OCC play and 3-12 overall, did it by playing solid man-to-man defense, rebounding in a fierce effort and making free throws in the fourth quarter against Madison (1-7, 3-10).
The Lady A’s also handled the ball well, especially down the stretch with just a pair of turnovers in the final period and just 14 for the game while forcing 19 turnovers on the Lady Rams.
“That’s an overall team win and they said that in the locker room, it’s a great team win,” noted Ashland coach Renee Holt, who also praised sophomore Makaree Chapman for posting 26 points, including making 10 of 13 free throws. “Makaree really stepped up there, hit some free throws. And Camryn (Cox) and Lauren (Green) on the boards, we knew No. 20 (Madison’s Chloe Ebeling) was a hard rebounder, and that was our scouting report. Amd for them to step up, Cam’s just a freshman and Lauren’s a sophomore, as is Makaree, and they’re all starting to grow.”
Ebeling had 10 points for Madison and eight rebounds but it was Ashland holding a 50-35 edge on the glass as Cox (8 points) snatched 15 rebounds and Green (4 points) added 14 more, with Audra McBride (4 points) nabbing seven caroms and Chapman adding six boards.
McBride and Green also led the defensive charge with each having a trio of steals, and Chapman adding a pair of thefts.
“I’m so proud of my team and the way we stayed calm and finished there at the end - it’s nice to get a win,” offered Chapman, who said many players came through at the charity stripe to ensure the victory. “It’s huge and I’m glad we focused in and hit them. That was the turning point of the game.”
Chapman, along with Green and McBride, also played strong man defense on Madison playmaker Natalie Back.
“We went in and it was like she’s their guard, so let’s make someone else handle it,” Chapman said. “I’m proud of everybody who stepped up and took that role.”
Ashland hit 13 of 18 free throws in the final period and 22 of 35 for the game, as Madison got into early foul trouble in the second half. Madison meshed 8 of 10 freebies on the night.
“Ashland played better on the ball defense than we did, they attacked the basket really well, and we didn’t cut off their dribblers as well, we got ourselves in foul trouble,” Madison coach Mike Leeper said. “We played hard, we just didn’t play smart. Ashland was much better rebounding than we were, and I think that was the difference in the basketball game.”
Madison was led by Bacl’s 16 points, 10 by Ebeling, and nine markers from Savanna Rachel.
Ashland held a 15-10 lead after one quarter, it was 21-21 at the half before the Lady A’s went up 37-31 after three periods. They out-scored the Lady Rams 17-12 in the final eight minutes.
“The growth this team has had, we’re going to be dangerous down the road,” Holt said. “Just keep believing in each other, I keep preaching it takes a whole team so we’re getting there.”
“We have to be smarter,” Leeper said. “Playing hard is great but you have to play smart as well. I have no problem with our intensity, I just have problems with our fundamentals. Ashland is well-coached and they play hard. I think we’re similar teams for the most part but they got us tonight, they earned the win no question.”
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland exacts revenge on Madison in momentum-building OCC win
