GIRLS HOOPS: Bellevue rolls past Margaretta

BELLEVUE — Two teams heading down different paths met Tuesday night at Bellevue High School as the host Lady Red jumped out to a 16-1 lead in the first four minutes of a 68-46 victory against Margaretta in non-conference action.

Bellevue improved to 11-3 overall, while Margaretta fell to 5-10.

Getting off to a good start has been a big problem for the Lady Polar Bears this season.

“The last 11 games we’ve played, in 10 of those we’ve trailed by 14-1 or more coming out,” Margaretta coach Tim Tucker said. “We can’t come out of the locker room and I don’t even know why we do come out of the locker room. We do not come out ready to play and we got handled in the first and third quarter. 

“We lack defense right now. We’re not physical, people push and shove us around and we won’t fight back. We’re a finesse team and people are taking advantage of our weaknesses.”

Meanwhile, Bellevue sophomore Leslie Raifsnider took advantage of the Margaretta defense for 30 points and 13 rebounds that included a 13 of 14 effort at the free -throw line.

As Margaretta tried to creep back into the game with a 13-12 scoring advantage in the second quarter to pull to within 32-18 at halftime, Raifsnider and teammate Erika Jordan hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give Bellevue a 38-20 lead with 5:46 left in the third quarter.

“That’s what Leslie has been doing for us all year in leading us in scoring and rebounding, and she had herself a day,” Bellevue coach Ryan Orshoski said. “She really got it done and she is a quiet scorer that makes all her foul shots. To score 13 points from the floor is a feat, and she does it from the foul line tonight.”

Bellevue outscored the visitors 17-8 in the third quarter to take a 49-26 lead, while Margaretta held a 20-19 scoring edge in the fourth quarter for the final margin.

“We’re just not a very good team right now,” Tucker said. “We didn’t play very hard and we have to go back and question ourselves on what we’re going to do. We’re going to finish the season hard and we’re going to do what’s best for the program from here on out.

“We’ve maybe got to do some things different. We’ve got five games left to turn this around for the next season, and we’ll see what we can do. We’re not going to quit just yet.”

Jordan added 18 points for Bellevue as the only other player in double figures for the Lady Red while Margaretta got 14 points from Dominique Sanchez and eight points each from Sarah Weaver and Sarah Weyer.

Despite sitting at 11-3 with the Division II sectional draw around the corner, Bellevue must close the season with Perkins (13-1), Tiffin Columbian (14-0) and Willard (10-4).

“We have a tough stretch to end the year against some outstanding teams on top of a tough sectional,” Orshoski said. “So we’ll take every win we can get. We’ll be in battles each and every night and we want to put ourselves in position to compete and win those games, and I think we’re heading in the right direction.”