EDINBURGH — A quick glance at the score from Monday night’s Mid-Hoosier Conference battle might infer that Edinburgh’s 55-36 girls basketball win against Hauser may have been just about as easy as Friday’s 73-51 victory against the Jets in the semifinals of the Edinburgh Tournament.
In reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
The Lancers went 0 for 17 from the field in the first quarter and missed their first 20 shots overall from the field. But they used a 10-2 run to close the first half to take the lead for good, then put it away with a 17-0 spurt in the fourth quarter.
“We were settling for shots in the first quarter,” Edinburgh coach Amy Schilling said. “We weren’t in a rhythm. Usually, we’re pretty good when we move the ball and step into our shots. We missed some layups and drives inside, too. We talked about after the Corydon game (a loss in Saturday’s Edinburgh Tournament final) that we needed to come out in the first quarter ready to play, and we just didn’t.”
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Despite their shooting woes, the Lancers (10-4, 1-0) stayed close early because Hauser was having trouble scoring, as well. The Jets (6-9, 1-3) led 8-6 after one quarter and 14-11 midway through the second.
After Destiney Ramey, who had missed her first five shots from the field and her first four free throws, hit a free throw to cut the lead to two, fellow senior Haven Link hit a 3-pointer to give Edinburgh its first lead. Hauser’s Mel Hasler scored on a layup to briefly give the lead back to the Jets, but the Lancers scored the final six points of the half to take a 21-16 lead.
“The first quarter was very frustrating, but I think after halftime, we all cooled down, and we picked it up,” said Link, who finished with a career-high 22 points. “I think we were just rushing our shots and not really getting set. I think once we calmed down and started passing and looking for open shots, and we were starting to hit them. So the fact that the first quarter was sloppy and coming back and winning by (19) was good.”
Edinburgh built the lead to 38-27 after three quarters. The Jets scored the first five points of the fourth, cutting the lead to 38-32 on a 3-pointer by Aunaka Wasil, before a 3-pointer by Ramey sparked a 17-0 Lancer run.
Ramey, who broke the school scoring record against Corydon, finished with 12 points to increase her career total to 1,194.
“I told them, you have to be aware of where they’re at and just play hard-nosed defense, play our pack-line the way we’re supposed to and it worked,” Hauser coach Chad Evans said. “We didn’t hit very many, but we were hitting open looks, and that’s what helped us in the first half. We rebounded a lot better this game than we have in the past.”
Freshman Gabby Johns led the Jets with eight points and eight rebounds. Kyliegh Parrott and Bree Hadley each added seven points, and Hannah Johnson matched Johns with eight rebounds.
“They’re a good team, and they have some good scorers,” Schilling said. “Our defense makes our offense, and I tell the girls that, and we didn’t come out with the defensive intensity today.”
Evans was pleased with the way his team played prior to the fourth quarter.
“That was probably the best three quarters we’ve put together all year,” Evans said. “Our effort was there for three quarters, and I really commend the girls for working hard. Yeah, it was in a loss, and I’m never happy with a loss, but our effort was a lot better than it has been in probably a month. I think we’re starting to come together at the right time before sectional.”
