Tecumseh girls use stall game to seal win

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By Jeff Gilbert , Contributing writer 11:26 PM Saturday, January 7, 2012

NEW CARLISLE — The only thing slowing down the Tecumseh High School girls basketball team on Saturday night against Kenton Ridge was foul trouble, particularly the fourth foul Bianca Quisenberry picked up with 30 seconds left in the third quarter.

So with an eight-point lead entering the fourth, it was time for Arrows coach Danielle Thomas to turn to an old ally — the stall game. In seasons with less depth, Thomas said it was not an uncommon strategy.

“I told them only wide-open layups,” Thomas said.

With Quisenberry dribbling away chunks of time and getting help from Brittany Frappier and Miranda Mougey in playing keep-away, the Arrows were able to do more than hold on in the fourth quarter. They found a couple of easy layups and made 9-of-12 free throws to put away Kenton Ridge 64-51 in a battle of Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail Division contenders.

“They executed that exactly the way we needed to,” Thomas said. “The game management of that fourth quarter was huge.”

Tecumseh (8-1, 4-1) has won seven straight since an early season loss to Tippecanoe, which is 5-0 in the division. They play Tippecanoe again this Saturday.

Kenton Ridge (8-2, 3-2) has lost two straight, including a one-point loss to Tippecanoe earlier in the week. Cougars head coach Ed Foulke did not start star player and leading scorer Mariah Harris because of a violation of team rules. Harris, who averages 20.3 points per game, entered with 59 seconds left in the first quarter and played a little under 18 minutes before fouling out with 4:42 left in the game with 11 hard-earned points. Paige McCrary led the Cougars with 15 points, and second-leading scorer Lindsey Fenwick was held to seven points, nine below her average.

“We’re struggling after two losses,” Foulke said. “We’ve just got a few little things going on. We’ve just got to get it worked out.”

The Arrows made their big move late in the third after Harris went to the bench with her third foul and Tecumseh leading 41-38. Chelsey Davis scored six quick points inside to finish off a 13-5 run to close the quarter. Davis finished with 16 points and forward Megan Christmann scored 15 to support Quisenberry, who had 24 points and several key assists.

“I thought everybody hit some open shots, and when Harris was out of the game we recognized that they weren’t as good at doubling Davis,” Thomas said. “We knew once she was one-on-one she can score against anybody.”

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