Growth comes slow for Twinsburg girls basketball
Striving for more consistency, the Twinsburg girls basketball unit is going through some expected challenges as the difficult Suburban League schedule heats up.
In a tough league road trip Saturday to Hudson, Twinsburg had an incredible start followed by a bit of a scoring drought.
It’s all part of a growth process for the young Tigers, when trying to respond to adjustments by opposing teams.
“We started the game off really strong and hit a dry spell in the second quarter,” noted first year head coach Ryan Looman, whose club fell 41-29.
“I was really happy with how we played for three quarters,” added Looman. “Hudson was able to affect us with some of their zone looks in the second quarter, but I couldn’t be prouder of how our girls responded at halftime and came out continuing to play and attack.”
With the Suburban League National Conference loss Twinsburg slips to 1-3 in rugged league play and to 4-4 overall. Hudson (3-2) is 2-1 in the league.
When freshman lead guard Taylor Dye hit a runner in the lane at the 5:05 mark of the first quarter, Twinsburg sped to an 8-0 lead at Hudson.
Shortly after, another Tiger freshman – wing Tamia Andrews – drained a perimeter jumper on the right elbow off a post feed from senior Sophie Adick, who recently returned to action from an injury. That made it 10-2.
However, from the point of the Andrews bucket through the second period and into halftime, Twinsburg hit a dry spell. The Tigers had trouble getting good looks and when they did, the shots didn’t fall.
That dry spell was damaging as it ballooned into a scoreless second quarter for Twinsburg against Hudson’s mixing defenses and it was over a 13-minute stretch before the Tigers scored a single point.
“Once we settled down in the third, it was an even second half,” stressed Looman, as Hudson went on a 16-0 spurt into halftime.
“A lot to learn from in this game and it revolves around playing a complete game and staying within ourselves,” pointed out Looman. “Basketball is a game of runs and learning what it takes to limit our opponents runs and extend our own runs are two big items we will gain.”
Looman realizes his squad will have difficult stretches – he just wants his players to know those periods WILL come each game – they just need to limit the length of those.
Twinsburg’s defense held Hudson to just one field goal in the entire third stanza – until Explorer guard Madi Kordos buried a deep 3-pointer with 3.8 ticks left in the quarter. The Tigers made some gains, but not enough as the hosts led 30-19 through three quarters.
Yet another freshman, forward Kayla Cellura had a strong 11-point second half and ended with 13 points and eight rebounds to pace the Tigers. Dye had six points and despite being tagged with her second foul in the game’s first 120 seconds, senior point guard Abby Carroll dished out four assists.
After recently facing Stow, Twinsburg followed by having to play the league’s two top clubs in back-to-back outings with a tough 51-37 home loss to powerful Wadsworth (3-1, 1-0) earlier in the week.
“It was one of those games where you feel you competed and played well despite the loss,” said Looman, whose team had to face the Grizzlies’ immense defensive pressure, both in the half-court sets and in the full court.
“We were able to match intensity, handle their pressure and get decent looks on the offensive end,” Looman said. “There are a few things that we need to clean up moving forward, but I am incredibly proud of how our players responded to the in-game adversity that playing one of the top teams in your conference brings.”
That contest also marked the return of Adick, who was one of last year’s key players. It was her first game of the season as Adick suffered a torn ACL in the final pre-season scrimmage for the Tigers’ powerful soccer program.
Senior forward Genesis Carthen stood out in the game.
Carthen tallied 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the floor, including a 2-4 effort from 3-point land. The 6-0 Carthen added three rebounds, two steals, two blocked shots and one assist.
Dye popped in eight points while freshman guard Mackenzie Sweeney and Cellura each notched five points. Senior forward Alexis Cellura had four points, the unselfish Carroll handed out four assists, and junior forward Kar’Lynn Golphin had three steals.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Twinsburg girls basketball grinds through early season
