GALION — Crestline coach Kyle Strauch admitted that his team was not yet in basketball shape for the 2020-21 season.
It took the Bulldogs three quarters to find their legs, but, once they did, they took the momentum and, ultimately, the game, from Galion.
The Tigers used a 10-0 run in the third period to take a 27-18 lead into the final frame. But the Bulldogs went to their three-quarter court press and regained control of the game.
Crestline outscored Galion, 23-7, in the fourth period to take away a 41-34 win in the season-opener for the Bulldogs. The Tigers, who did a lot of positive things, fell to 0-2.
As Strauch said, a lack of summer basketball hurt his team.
“It was defense leading the offense,” Strauch said. “We turned the press on. As I told the girls, no summer and we only had two scrimmages. We’re not in shape.
“Most of these girls play volleyball and volleyball is not really a sport that gets you in shape for basketball,” he added. “So, they’re still working into it. It’s just kind of a fine line. I think we found a good spot here and they had a hard time adjusting to our press and we turned defense into offense.”
Galion coach Shani Rush felt that Crestline’s ability to rebound on the offensive end of the floor was critical. Crestline outrebounded Galion, 41-23, for the game.
“In the third quarter, our defense got us ahead,” Rush said. “And then we got a little bit tired and then we started making some mistakes that we shouldn’t have. We missed way too many layups in the first half.”
Crestline opened the fourth period with a 16-2 run, taking a 34-29 lead with 3:25 left in the game.
After Galion’s Heaven Phelps dropped a free throw to cut the lead to four, Crestline’s Ivy Stewart canned four straight free throws to increase the lead to 38-30 with 2:03 left.
“I think both teams were nervous in the first half and I think both teams played better offensively (second half),” Strauch said. “Fortunately for us, our defense carried us in the second half.”
Rush said that her team turned the ball over too much in that final frame.
“We started to turn the ball over,” Rush said. “I told them that, since we were in the lead, we need to take good shots and take care of the basketball.”
Crestline’s Daija Sewell scored seven of her game-high 13 points in the fourth period and Stewart added six of her 10 points in the final frame.
“We lost a 1,000-point scorer in Lauryn Tadda and we have to replace that somehow,” Strauch said. “She was just so aggressive underneath, and we need Daija Sewell to attack for us. She did a pretty good job. We didn’t shoot the way we wanted to. Again, I think that had a little issue with our legs. We’re not there in shape yet but we’ll get there.”
“(Crestline) got too many offensive rebounds in the second half and we turned the ball over in the second half after we made our run,” Rush said. “They got the momentum.”
Natalee Perkins led the Tigers with 11 points and Dezi Lester finished with 10, a performance that pleased Rush.
“Dezi Lester had an amazing game,” Rush said. “If she can play like that every game, that will be really nice. Hopefully, that was her coming-out party. We get her scoring, and she plays great defense. Getting her that experience will be really good.”
Crestline won the junior varsity game, 38-23. Emma Kirby scored 13 to lead the Bulldogs and Gabby Heard scored seven for Galion.
Box score
Crestline 7 6 5 23 — 41
Galion 4 9 14 7 — 34
Crestline (1-0): Shots 15-42; 3-pt. shots 2 (Ivy Stewart, Maddie Engler); Free throws 9-14; Rebounds 40; Turnovers 31. Scoring: Hannah Delong 2-3 7, Dalani Kiser 1 0 2, Ivy Stewart 2 5 10, Daija Sewell 6 1 13, Maddie Engler 3 0 7, Jocelyn Morgan 1 0 2.
Galion (0-2): Shots 14-47; 3-pt. shots 1 (Teanna Greter); Free throws 5-8; Rebounds 21; Turnovers 19. Scoring: Heaven Phelps 2 2 6, Dezi Lester 5 0 10, Natalee Perkins 4 3 11, Teanna Greter 3 0 7.
JV: Crestline 38-23.