ELIDA-The Spencerville Bearcats looked to make it back to back wins on Tuesday night when they visited the Elida Bulldogs. However, the Bulldogs had other plans as they forced 18 Bearcat turnovers in the 46-36 victory.
The visitors got off to a good start in the opening quarter thanks to good shooting from Gabi Croft and strong defensive pressure on the Bulldogs. Croft buried a three pointer from downtown to give them a 5-3 lead as the offense continued to knock down shots.
The Bearcats were able to maintain the lead midway through the quarter as a pair of free throws from Clara Goecke and a basket by Croft gave them a 9-7 advantage. Spencerville was able to turn up the defense and force a few turnovers to give them a 15-11 lead.
“In the first quarter we were able to make some shots,” said Spencerville head coach Greg Ekis. “The rest of the game we were able to get some decent looks, but we weren’t able to make them.”
The second quarter was a defensive roller coaster, as both teams couldn’t find the bottom of the basket. Addisyn Freeman connected on a pair of baskets in the quarter to give the Bulldogs a 16-15 lead. Elida’s 2-3 zone defense was paying dividends in the quarter, as the Bearcats didn’t record another field goal until the last few seconds of the half. A short layup by Croft with five seconds left tied the game at 20 at halftime.
“We knew coming in that they were going to play some zone on us, but we just have to do better making some shots,” Ekis explained.
Freeman continued to go back to work as the hosts built a lead in the third quarter. A three pointer by Emma Kuhn to begin the third quarter gave them a 23-20 lead that wouldn’t be vanquished the rest of the way. Sydney Lemar connected on a basket to cut the deficit to one but that’s the closest the visitors got on the evening. A pair of free throws and a basket by Freeman stretched the lead to 27-22 that forced a Bearcat timeout.
Elida was able to turn defense into offense as a basket from Freeman and Bella Lopez strengthened the lead to 33-27.
Cold shooting continued for the visitors in the final quarter as the game slipped away from the Bearcats. Kirsten Wurst connected on a pair of free throws to draw within four at 33-29, but the hosts put their foot on the gas pedal. A basket by Kuhn and Oliveah Sanders widened the lead to 37-29–and the hosts weren’t done yet.
After a basket from Goecke got the Bearcats within four a second time at 37-31, Sanders connected on a back-breaking three pointer to make it 40-31. Elida was able to go five of seven from the foul line to seal the win.
Elida improves to 1-1 on the season and will start WBL play on Thursday when they host Shawnee.
Spencerville drops to 1-2 and will face Delphos Jefferson on Thursday to begin NWC play.
“Jefferson has been one of the best teams in the league for quite a few years now. They are well coached so we are going to have to prepare well and execute to be able to compete,” Ekis concluded.
Spencerville 15-5-7-9-36
Elida 11-9-13-13-46
Spencerville (36)
Gabi Croft-14 Clara Goecke-8 Sydney Lemar-6 Kirsten Wurst-4 Heidi Keller-2 Eilan Muniz-2
Elida (46)
Addisyn Freeman-15 Payton Kuhn-11 Bella Lopez-10 Oliveah Sanders-7 Emma Mitchell-2 Leah Ramirez-1
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