BASKETBALL: Western headed for regional with win over Margaretta

OLD FORT — The Western Reserve girls’ basketball team is off to the regional tournament for the first time in school history.

The Lady Roughriders overcame a third-quarter deficit to edge Margaretta 37-35 Saturday in a Division III district final at Old Fort High School.

Western, 22-2 overall, is scheduled to play Richwood North Union (18-4) at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday in a regional semifinal at Lexington High School.

North Union beat Amanda-Clearcreek 54-39.

“That game was nothing less than I expected,” Lady Roughriders coach Brenda Friend said. “My coaching staff is like my right arm.

“There are people behind the scenes and I can’t have a greater group of girls. Everybody has a role and everybody has accepted that role,’’ she added.

The teams played in the 2005 district final at Willard with Margaretta gaining a 58-39 win.

“I wasn’t prepared in that district final that year,’’ Friend said.

The Lady Polar Bears finished their season at 9-15 and ended a three-game tournament winning streak.

“I thought we played hard,’’ Margaretta coach Tim Tucker said. “They definitely did everything we asked them. We’re a lot better than 6-14 and we proved that tonight. I real proud of our kids. 

“I’m disappointed, but the effort was there. We’ll grow from this.’’

With the game tied at 35-35, Kelsey Wyant scored a bucket with 12 seconds left to put Western up by two points.

Margaretta moved downcourt, but the Lady Roughriders forced a held ball with the possession arrow favoring Western at 1.5 seconds. They then ran out the clock for the win.

Western, which now has a seven-game winning streak, led 10-7 after the first quarter and 17-15 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Margaretta made its charge.

Sparked by Cheyenne Morris, the Lady Polar Bears turned a 20-15 deficit into a 27-21 lead at the 2:25 mark. Morris netted seven points in the third.

But Western closed the gap by scoring six of the final eight minutes and trailed 29-27 entering the final eight minutes.

A Theresa Jackson hoop tied the game at 29-29 with 7:42 left in the game. The Polar Bears tied the game at 35-35 with 36 seconds left when Dominique Sanchez stole the ball and converted a layup. 

Western then worked the clock before Wyant’s eventual game-winner.

“We said we have to slow down and run our offensive sets,’’ Friend said. “We just kept plugging away at the defensive end.’’

Casey Molesky led the Lady Roughriders with 10 points, Wyant added nine and Jackson came off the bench of the bench for seven points. 

The Lady Roughriders were 14 of 37 from the field and 7 of 12 from the free-throw line with 24 rebounds and 15 turnovers.

Molesky ripped down nine rebounds and Wyant corralled six. Each hit key putback hoops in the fourth quarter.

Morris, off the bench, put in nine points and Sarah Weyer contributed eight for Margaretta, which went 14 of 48 from the field and 6-of-13 from the line. The Lady Polar Bears had 29 turnovers and 15 turnovers.

Emily Scheufler picked off six boards.

“We just missed some big shots,’’ Tucker said. “We were 6 of 13 at the line and that was costly. 

“I thought there were four 3s in the fourth that were in and then out. We had a couple of good looks.”