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NORTON — Playing in an all-star game two days after falling in a state championship game might seem like a tricky transition, but Rootstown's Addy Germann and Nadia Lough didn't blink.
"This game was mostly just fun," Lough said. "It was kind of like a practice after such a big thing, and Addy and I were talking, we were like Saturday we would normally play and then Sunday we would get off and then we'd be back at it on Monday. That's kind of what it felt like for us. We were just back at it on Monday."
Did Lough consider calling off — which would have been perfectly understandable given the Women's Tri-County Basketball Coaches Association Senior All-Star Games came barely 48 hours after a Division VI state title game loss?
Nope.
"I've always wanted to play in this game," Lough said. "I've always looked at this game as just a chance to be free while playing basketball, getting a chance to just play the way that you were taught how to play. Rather than going through a motion or running through a set, you're just setting screens, you're back-door cutting and getting to play with the other people in your community."
Mogadore's Amelia Morris found herself making a similar transition.
One of three Wildcats in Monday's second WTCBCA all-star game alongside twin sisters Ari and Julie Tompkins, they thus returned to the floor a little more than a week after competing in the state semifinals.
"It's just super fun," Morris said. "It was like no pressure. It was just come out and have fun, shoot the ball when you're open, kind of get to know some other girls that I wasn't familiar with a lot of these girls because they're from the bigger schools."
That was an interesting dynamic Monday.
The three Mogadore players competed on the South team, which, as Morris noted, was made up largely of players from bigger schools, like Akron Garfield, CVCA, Ellet, Hoban and St. Vincent-St. Mary. Their opponents were equally unfamiliar to Mogadore, with the West team consisting largely of players from the Suburban League. The talent included Kent State commit Caitlyn Holmes playing with the Mogadore trio and Olivia Klanac, Medina County's all-time leading scorer, playing on the opposite side.
"It was fun," Morris said. "It was fun to watch and fun to play because they have got great court vision and they're just on a higher level, so that was fun."
The first game was the opposite as the East team consisted entirely of Portage County players, many of whom have known each other for a very long time.
"This was almost like a relief," Lough said of playing with so many familiar faces in a casual setting after the state title game. "Like, I know a lot of these other girls from Portage County areas. So just getting to play with people that you grew up playing against, that was just such a good experience."
Streetsboro senior Naomi Benson said she enjoyed playing with a couple of Rovers standouts fresh off their state title game appearance — with Benson noting they "were energized." Benson also savored the chance to play with longtime Metro Athletic Conference counterpart Delilah Rahe of Field. For years, they've led their teams against each other.
In the first WTCBCA all-star game, the duo connected beautifully, with Rahe sending a lob to Benson to push the East's lead to five with 40 seconds remaining.
"We have a bond that it's like a cool bond," Benson said. "And from us being rivals to being teammates, it was a cool experience. I feel like we had a low-key connection. I feel like if we were on the same team, we would be an unstoppable duo."
In the first game of the evening, the all-Portage East team edged the North, led by Benson's 19 points. The Illinois commit, named the game's Most Outstanding Performer, showed off her range with two 3-pointers in the third quarter.
"I've been working on my 3 game for a while, so to be able to showcase [it] to everyone is great," Benson said. "I was having fun with it."
Southeast's Kayla Grope also showed off a slick mid-range game, joining Benson in double figures with 13 points.
Trailing for much of the night, the North rallied to knot the score at 66 with three minutes and change remaining. Benson put the East back in front with a strong transition finish through contact, knocking down the free throw as well.
Roosevelt's Julia Nash and Benson added key steals, with Rahe finding Benson on a lob with 40 seconds remaining to push the East's lead to two possessions.
The South overcame a massive night by Klanac, who poured in a game-high 27 points for the West, including seven 3-pointers.
Garfield's Kanija Kimbrough, named the game's Most Outstanding Player with 16 points, made several key plays down the stretch. With the West within three points, Kimbrough pivoted her way to a marvelous bank shot with 1:55 remaining to put the South up 62-57. Less than a minute later, Kimbrough scored off a heave from Ellet's Holmes to push that advantage to seven.
Hudson's Erin McCormick scored eight of her 11 points in the fourth quarter, including a baseline jumper and 3-pointer to bring the West back within a possession. But time ran out after that last 3-pointer, clinching the win for the South.
For four local players, the all-star circuit continues next week as Benson, Lough, Morris and Rahe were named to the Summit County team that will take on Stark County in the Kiwanis game at Barberton. The game is 6 p.m. March 27.
Benson, Lough, Morris and Rahe will join Kendal Batchik (STVM), Holmes (Ellet), Klanac (Medina), Kennedy Morgan (Highland), Jenna Slates (Green) and Joi Williams (CVCA). Rootstown's Joe Leonard will serve as one of three coaches for the Summit team, joining Hudson's Dennis Lawler and Highland's James Madison.
Plenty of other awards were given out Monday.
In the Division IV through VII category, Benson earned Player of the Year, Leonard earned Coach of the Year and Rootstown junior Colbie Curall was named the Underclassman of the Year.
Streetsboro junior Carlee Bedford, Norton junior Dakota Graham, Norton sophomore Alivia Goff, Springfield senior Kendall Wilderman and Crestwood senior Hannah Ward joined Lough, Morris and Rahe on the WTCBCA first team for Divisions IV through VII.
Rootstown's Kelsey Bittecuffer and Germann and Southeast's Jenna Canale and Kristen Campbell were named to the second team, joining Streetsboro senior Sydney Abbuhl, Cloverleaf junior Evie Barth, Woodridge senior Allie Martin and Mogadore senior Ari Tompkins.
There were no Portage County players on the WTCBCA teams for Divisions I through III.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: From state runs to all-star fun, local players savor WTCBCA games
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"This game was mostly just fun," Lough said. "It was kind of like a practice after such a big thing, and Addy and I were talking, we were like Saturday we would normally play and then Sunday we would get off and then we'd be back at it on Monday. That's kind of what it felt like for us. We were just back at it on Monday."
Did Lough consider calling off — which would have been perfectly understandable given the Women's Tri-County Basketball Coaches Association Senior All-Star Games came barely 48 hours after a Division VI state title game loss?
Nope.
"I've always wanted to play in this game," Lough said. "I've always looked at this game as just a chance to be free while playing basketball, getting a chance to just play the way that you were taught how to play. Rather than going through a motion or running through a set, you're just setting screens, you're back-door cutting and getting to play with the other people in your community."
Mogadore's Amelia Morris found herself making a similar transition.
One of three Wildcats in Monday's second WTCBCA all-star game alongside twin sisters Ari and Julie Tompkins, they thus returned to the floor a little more than a week after competing in the state semifinals.
"It's just super fun," Morris said. "It was like no pressure. It was just come out and have fun, shoot the ball when you're open, kind of get to know some other girls that I wasn't familiar with a lot of these girls because they're from the bigger schools."
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That was an interesting dynamic Monday.
The three Mogadore players competed on the South team, which, as Morris noted, was made up largely of players from bigger schools, like Akron Garfield, CVCA, Ellet, Hoban and St. Vincent-St. Mary. Their opponents were equally unfamiliar to Mogadore, with the West team consisting largely of players from the Suburban League. The talent included Kent State commit Caitlyn Holmes playing with the Mogadore trio and Olivia Klanac, Medina County's all-time leading scorer, playing on the opposite side.
"It was fun," Morris said. "It was fun to watch and fun to play because they have got great court vision and they're just on a higher level, so that was fun."
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The first game was the opposite as the East team consisted entirely of Portage County players, many of whom have known each other for a very long time.
"This was almost like a relief," Lough said of playing with so many familiar faces in a casual setting after the state title game. "Like, I know a lot of these other girls from Portage County areas. So just getting to play with people that you grew up playing against, that was just such a good experience."
Streetsboro senior Naomi Benson said she enjoyed playing with a couple of Rovers standouts fresh off their state title game appearance — with Benson noting they "were energized." Benson also savored the chance to play with longtime Metro Athletic Conference counterpart Delilah Rahe of Field. For years, they've led their teams against each other.
In the first WTCBCA all-star game, the duo connected beautifully, with Rahe sending a lob to Benson to push the East's lead to five with 40 seconds remaining.
"We have a bond that it's like a cool bond," Benson said. "And from us being rivals to being teammates, it was a cool experience. I feel like we had a low-key connection. I feel like if we were on the same team, we would be an unstoppable duo."
East 71, North 66
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In the first game of the evening, the all-Portage East team edged the North, led by Benson's 19 points. The Illinois commit, named the game's Most Outstanding Performer, showed off her range with two 3-pointers in the third quarter.
"I've been working on my 3 game for a while, so to be able to showcase [it] to everyone is great," Benson said. "I was having fun with it."
Southeast's Kayla Grope also showed off a slick mid-range game, joining Benson in double figures with 13 points.
Trailing for much of the night, the North rallied to knot the score at 66 with three minutes and change remaining. Benson put the East back in front with a strong transition finish through contact, knocking down the free throw as well.
Roosevelt's Julia Nash and Benson added key steals, with Rahe finding Benson on a lob with 40 seconds remaining to push the East's lead to two possessions.
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South 64, West 62
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The South overcame a massive night by Klanac, who poured in a game-high 27 points for the West, including seven 3-pointers.
Garfield's Kanija Kimbrough, named the game's Most Outstanding Player with 16 points, made several key plays down the stretch. With the West within three points, Kimbrough pivoted her way to a marvelous bank shot with 1:55 remaining to put the South up 62-57. Less than a minute later, Kimbrough scored off a heave from Ellet's Holmes to push that advantage to seven.
Hudson's Erin McCormick scored eight of her 11 points in the fourth quarter, including a baseline jumper and 3-pointer to bring the West back within a possession. But time ran out after that last 3-pointer, clinching the win for the South.
Benson, Lough, Morris, Rahe make Summit all-star team
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For four local players, the all-star circuit continues next week as Benson, Lough, Morris and Rahe were named to the Summit County team that will take on Stark County in the Kiwanis game at Barberton. The game is 6 p.m. March 27.
Benson, Lough, Morris and Rahe will join Kendal Batchik (STVM), Holmes (Ellet), Klanac (Medina), Kennedy Morgan (Highland), Jenna Slates (Green) and Joi Williams (CVCA). Rootstown's Joe Leonard will serve as one of three coaches for the Summit team, joining Hudson's Dennis Lawler and Highland's James Madison.
Plenty of other awards were given out Monday.
In the Division IV through VII category, Benson earned Player of the Year, Leonard earned Coach of the Year and Rootstown junior Colbie Curall was named the Underclassman of the Year.
Streetsboro junior Carlee Bedford, Norton junior Dakota Graham, Norton sophomore Alivia Goff, Springfield senior Kendall Wilderman and Crestwood senior Hannah Ward joined Lough, Morris and Rahe on the WTCBCA first team for Divisions IV through VII.
Rootstown's Kelsey Bittecuffer and Germann and Southeast's Jenna Canale and Kristen Campbell were named to the second team, joining Streetsboro senior Sydney Abbuhl, Cloverleaf junior Evie Barth, Woodridge senior Allie Martin and Mogadore senior Ari Tompkins.
There were no Portage County players on the WTCBCA teams for Divisions I through III.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: From state runs to all-star fun, local players savor WTCBCA games
Continue reading...
