SHORELINE
Ashley Hagood and the Shorecrest Scots bounced back from a slow start to knock off crosstown rival Shorewood 53-41 Dec. 12 at Shorewood High School.
Shorecrest trailed by as many as 10 points in the second quarter but ended the half on a 12-2 run capped by a layup by Hagood to tie it.
Shorecrest went with a smaller, quicker four-guard guard lineup in the second half to create some mismatches and it paid off.
“We got open shots from outside,” Hagood said.
Hagood scored 12 of her game-high 18 points in the third quarter, including a pair of 3-pointers as Shorecrest took a 36-31 lead.
Shorewood played mostly man-to-man defense in the game but also went to a half-court trap. But Hagood seemed to always be open in the second half. Hagood’s 3-pointer with about two minutes left in the third quarter gave Shorecrest a 33-31 lead and they never trailed again.
“She went off and she hurt us,” Shorewood coach Nina Lowe said.
Shorecrest started the fourth quarter on a 6-0 run to take a 43-31 lead. Shorewood never got closer than nine the rest of the game.
“I think we had some lapses on defense,” Shorewood junior guard Becky Farden said. “It’s playing all four quarters.”
The Scots held Farden, Shorewood’s leading scorer who had been averaging 17 points per game, scoreless in the first half and she finished with only nine points.
“Shots weren’t falling for me, but it happens,” Farden said.
Shorewood jumped out to a 12-5 lead thanks to the play of sophomore post Taylor Nephew, who had nine points in the first quarter.
The Thunderbirds press continued to force the Scots into turnovers and they took a 19-9 advantage after forward Kelsey Allen scored and converted a free throw.
“When we start quickly and we apply pressure and start running around it gets us in the game,” Lowe said.
Shorecrest coach Jon Rasmussen said his team came out “a little flat” but didn’t give up and whittled away the lead.
The Scots also got 13 points from senior Jocelyn Riordan, including three 3-pointers.
Shorecrest stepped up the pressure in the second half and defended the wings well, holding guard Tiffanie Bronson who was averaging eight points per game, scoreless.
“I think we handled the pressure fine,” Lowe said. “It’s a matter of execution. We got the looks. It’s a matter of making the shots.”
Nephew, a 5-9 forward, finished with a team-high 16 points and 18 rebounds. Senior forward Kelsey England contributed eight points and 10 rebounds. When the T-birds’ main inside presence Jane Fleck graduated, Shorewood needed some other players to step up at post and forward.
“I think people are definitely stepping up,” Farden said. “Taylor and Kelsey both.”
Shorecrest’s come-from-behind win came the night after the Shorecrest boys lost a late lead and the game to Shorewood at Shorecrest.
“It felt realy good especially because the boys lost last night,” Hagood said. “We wanted revenge.”
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