Willard pulls off scrappy win over Bucyrus in Division III sectional girls basketball
NEW WASHINGTON — When Willard saw Bucyrus go on a 10-3 run to start the third quarter, coach Ashley Bond knew it was time to lean on her senior leaders.
After leading 22-18 at halftime, the Flashes fell behind 28-25 before senior Syana Sivongsak put on her superhero cap and saved the day. Sivongsak nailed a huge 3-pointer to tie the score and then led the Flashes on a 9-2 run to close out the third quarter en route to a 47-36 Division III sectional semifinal victory Wednesday night at Buckeye Central High School.
Willard (10-13) moves on to the sectional championship at noon Saturday at Buckeye Central against No. 2 seed Upper Sandusky.
Bond, who was filling in for the ill Barry Pfahl, noticed something different in her team in that third quarter as it responded to adversity.
"We told the kids in the locker room that three weeks ago when things got tight they would have folded and lost by 20," Bond said. "Tonight, they put it down and won by 10. The difference in the game was our mental strength when our backs were against the wall. That was the senior leadership by Syana Sivongsack and Cassidy Hamons. They went out there and told the team we weren't losing this game."
Sivongsak led the Flashes with 14 points, including four 3-pointers, while Natalie Slone added nine points and Camryn Wiers seven. With four freshmen, three sophomores and three juniors who had never won a tournament game before, Sivongsak was tasked with being the senior leader and making sure Willard left with a victory.
"Before the game, we looked at Sy and told her that this is just another game and she has been here before," Bond said. "She treated it like that with her poise and leadership."
Bucyrus stayed in the game the entire way and even cut its deficit to six midway through the fourth quarter but couldn't buy a bucket down the stretch. Lady Red shot 9 of 44 from the field and 16 of 26 from the free-throw line. Just a few buckets or some more free throws would have made it a different game.
"It ended as an 11-point difference and mainly because we allowed some runouts as we were trying to create some turnovers," Bucyrus coach Brian Seybert said. "It was close but our shooting percentage has been our Achilles' heel all year long. We get the open looks, [but] we just aren't getting them to drop. If we make just a few of those shots, it is a different game."
Trailing by four at the half, Bucyrus came out and played its best stretch at the beginning of the third quarter and tied Willard 12-12 over those eight minutes. They scored the first seven points of the third to take their first lead of the night on Brook Dennison's and-1 early in the quarter.
The message was simple at halftime — just keep doing what they are doing and a run would come.
"The girls stuck to what the game plan was even though they were down four at halftime, and they made a comeback and even took a lead," Seybert said. "I am super proud of the effort and I couldn't have asked more of them.
"It was all just about continuing to attack on offense and keep those hands active on defense. We got some nice tips and turnovers that allowed us to get out and score in transition. Willard ended up controlling the game when it got the lead, and you have to just say congrats to them. They played a great game."
Bucyrus (9-14) recorded its most wins in a season since going 12-11 in 2017-18. Seybert said he is proud of the steps his players made to get the program back on track.
"There were a few games where I thought we had the opportunity to win but, yes, nine wins for Bucyrus girls is a huge step and I can really feel the culture changing," Seybert said. "They believe and never quit in any game this year. We will take nine wins, but we are far from satisfied."
But he will have to try to take the next step next year without seniors Madalyn Kimmel, Adacyn Rister and Leah Sheets, who he credits for laying the foundation of what looks like a promising future.
"Yeah, Madalyn Kimmel, Adacyn Rister and Leah Sheets, they have really helped turn things around," Seybert said. "Rister came back out after not playing since her seventh-grade year and she has been a workhorse and has a heart of gold. I am super proud of her coming back. Kimmel has been our leader for four years and is our captain for a reason. It will be hard to replace her. I think we have some juniors who will help us next year. There is some talent coming."
Kimmel led Lady Red with 11 points while Addison Kemery added eight points and Dennison had seven.
Bond is hopeful Pfhal will be back for Willard's sectional final.
"What we told them is that they just played one more game and they have a chance to play another one and get Coach Pfahl back and we will go out and play like we have nothing to lose," she said. "I think we got the monkey off our backs after losing in the first round the past couple of years."
jfurr@gannett.com
740-244-9934
Twitter: @JakeFurr11
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Willard pulls off scrappy win over Bucyrus in Division III sectional
