MORGANTOWN — A change in defenses triggered a huge scoring run in the middle of the game as the University girls basketball team won 80-43 at home in an OVAC consolation match against Weir Thursday evening.
The Hawks (10-9) switched to a man-to-man full-court press defense in the second quarter that kicked off a 25-1 run, which turned an 11-point game into a blowout.
“We switched to that man-to-man half-court (press) and I thought the girls did a really good job in that,” said assistant coach Sammy Lusk, filling in as head coach for his father Nick. “Defensively we were just taking away what they did.”
Nick Lusk was unavailable per WVSSAC rules after receiving two technical fouls and being ejected from a game at Wayne last week.
“Stepping up to the high school level is different, but I think more than anything it’s exciting,” said the younger Lusk, who has coached at the JV and middle school levels before.”This is something I want to do, I want to be in this position at some point as a head coach.”
The Red Riders (8-10) started slow and trailed 26-12 after the first quarter, but battled back early in the second. A Janai Turner three-pointer capped off an 11-4 scoring run that made it just an 11-point game, 39-28.
“We were getting a lot of fouls called on us (early in the game), which kind of took us out of our game,” Lusk said. “We switched up defenses and I think they responded really well. We were still scoring the ball, it was just them breaking the press and us getting in foul trouble more than anything.”
That’s when the Hawks changed defenses and began to pull away. Between the second and third quarters, University went on a 25-1 run that turned a competitive game into a blowout.
“Historically we have trouble in the third quarter and lose control of the basketball game,” Weir coach Rick Stead said. “And then we try to force our way back in by forcing shots and it just doesn’t work out.”
Weir missed its first five shots in the second half, not scoring until Rayna Hoover made a free throw with just over three minutes left in the third quarter. Hoover made a layup and a three-pointer a minute later for the Red Riders’ only field goals of the frame.
All the while University’s lead continued to grow as junior Hannah Stemple hit two of her five three-pointers in the third.
“We knew if they got hot and started shooting, we were going to have a problem,” Stead said.
Stemple finished with a game-high 19 points. Senior Ella Simpson was right behind her with 17 points.
Every UHS player that saw the floor scored a field goal. Alexa Johnson scored 11 points, Bri Fox had nine and Riley Braham, Ashlynn Weaver and Lexi Simpson all had six.
Turner and Hoover each had 14 to paced Weir.
Both teams are back in action on Monday as University hosts Bridgeport for a section game and Weir will welcome Madonna.
BOX SCORE
University 80, Weir 43
Weir 12 17 6 8 — 43
UHS 26 24 22 8 — 80
WEIR (8-10) — Baker 0 2-2 2; Kaufman 1 0-0 2; Turner 4 3-4 14; Faulks 3 2-2 8; Hoover 5 3-5 14; Lash 1 1-2 3; Utt 0 0-2 0; Baltimore 0 0-0 0; Weber 0 0-0 0; Spencer 0 0-0 0.
UNIVERSITY (10-9) — Braham 3 0-0 6; Fox 4 0-0 9; Stemple 7 0-0 19; Weaver 3 0-0 6; E. Simpson 7 1-2 17; Maisel 2 0-0 4; L. Simpson 3 0-0 6; Johnson 3 4-4 11; Cox 1 0-0 2.
3-Pt. Goals — Weir 4 (Turner 3, Hoover 1). University 9 (Stemple 5, E. Simpson 2, Fox 1, Johnson 1).
