Out-hustled, out-physicaled and out-rebounded.
Manchester Valley coach Heather DeWees used those exact terms during a timeout to describe her girls as they were on the verge of blowing a double-digit lead to South Carroll. While the lead did slip away, the Mavericks’ fourth-quarter response was key.
Responding to a scrappy South Carroll team with some adjustments and scrappiness of their own, the Mavericks left Tuesday night’s game with a 43-40 win and a new outlook on the team’s identity as the meat of the season quickly approaches.
“We needed this one,” Manchester Valley’s Autumn Stottlemire, who finished with a game-high 15 points, said. “We’ve been we’ve been going through a lot of ups and downs and we needed this one to move forward.”
The first quarter turned into a game of which team could handle the press better as both teams looked to play aggressive defense, pressuring their opponents from all angles.
DeWees turned to a part of the Mavericks’ identity that has been prevalent since Day 1: the dynamic duo of Stottlemire and Reese Kresslein. The pair started off the game hot, leading the Mavericks on an 11-2 run.
“They both did a good job demanding the basketball. They did a good job finishing their layups,” DeWees said. “They are our leaders on the floor.”
But in the second quarter, the Cavaliers responded and the lead slowly shrunk. South Carroll whittled the deficit down to one on two separate occasions. DeWees switched from pressing to a zone defense that changed the looks and slightly slowed down the South Carroll run. As a result, the Mavericks went into the half with a hard earned nine-point lead.
“It’s all about changing defense, changing pace and making people uncomfortable,” DeWees said. “The goal is just to get people out of rhythm.”
Out of rhythm, but not out of any fight headed into the third quarter, it was the Cavaliers that came out of the break applying the pressure. Leah Miller and Harley McKee led the way, not only hitting shots to trim the lead, but forcing the Mavericks’ offense into a bit of a panic throughout the game-altering run.
The quarter could be best summed up with the final possession: As Kresslein was being swarmed by two Cavaliers, she threw the ball away attempting a risky pass across the middle of the court.
Miller stole the ball, fed McKee, then let out a loud “Let’s go!” as she watched the sophomore hit a floater at the buzzer to complete the comeback and give the Cavaliers a 36-34 lead headed into the fourth.
“South Carroll is a very tough team,” DeWees said. “They’re physical, they’re fast and they can shoot well from the outside.”
Desperate for a response, the Mavericks became the aggressors in a physical fourth quarter. Players on each side dove for lose balls and many hit the floor after hard contact on drives to the basket.
Ultimately, Stottlemire, normally a dangerous outside shooter, hit a couple of tough baskets inside and the Mavericks got the final stop of the game to escape South Carroll with the win.
“I like my [3-pointer] but that wasn’t really open tonight,” she said. “So I had to drive to the basket.”
With the win, the Mavericks may have earned more then just another county win. DeWees may have left the gym with a new outlook at how her team can win and respond when the game gets physical.
“I think the light bulb went on as far as we actually have the ability to play a physical game like this,” she said. “I’m very proud of our players for coming out and enduring the just physicalness of the game.”
MV- Autumn Stottlemire (15), Reese Kresslein (11), Gaby McCarthy (6), Emma Shaffer (4), Haylee Bittinger (4), Molly Smith (3).
SC- Harley McKee (13), Leah Miller (9), Charlotte Harrington (6), Caden Curtin (5), Jenna Todd (4), Rylie Stancliff (3)
