CURWENSVILLE – The Curwensville Area High School girls basketball team found it difficult solving Kane’s full-court press early and handling the Lady Wolves’ height and quickness throughout their Allegheny Mountain League crossover game in Patton Hall Wednesday night.
The Lady Tide couldn’t get going at the outset once again and was in a 26-4 hole after one quarter.
Coach Rusty McCracken’s struggling team never recovered, and Kane kept widening the gap through three periods on its way to a 60-24 win for an 8-2 record.
The Mercy Rule was in effect for the final 10:38 after the Lady Wolves turned a 42-14 halftime bulge into a 58-18 runaway.
Even without 6-0 junior standout Kaila Jamerson, a returning D9Sports.com All-District 9 third teamer who suffered an injury in the Otto-Eldred Christmas Tournament last week, the Lady Wolves had plenty of firepower, rebounding and defense.
Three other letterwinners from last season’s 22-3 squad fronted the Kane offense.
Junior guards Audrey Perry and Dawn Saquin shared scoring honors with 14 points apiece, mostly at the end of fast breaks off steals, and 6-0 senior Drew Victory was right behind with 13 on peeps and free throws.
With so many easy baskets, the Lady Wolves made 24 of 58 shots for 43.1 percent and posted a 31-23 advantage under the boards with eight players contributing.
Katrina Seaburn’s effort on both ends was a bright spot for Curwensville, which shot just 26.5 percent and was guilty of 39 turnovers in falling to 1-5.
The junior center recorded a double-double with 11 points, including five of the Lady Tide’s nine field goals, and 10 rebounds. She also hustled to make four loose-ball recoveries.
“She always plays hard,” McCracken said. “I think she takes it personally to go against bigger girls. She’s always undersized, and she does the job on the boards for us. She’s averaging 10 rebounds a game.”
Primarily because of Kane’s zone press, this game quickly got out of hand for the Lady Tide.
One-for-10 shooting and 11 turnovers will do that.
“We missed three or four easy shots and we made bad passes long, throwing it over top of people,” McCracken said. “I don’t know that their press was any tougher than what we’ve seen in other games. They just did a better job of finding the ball.”
Most of Kane’s points in the first period were the direct result of turnovers, including putbacks from three different rebounders.
“We just don’t get into good position to rebound,” McCracken said. “We don’t think about rebounding until it’s too late.”
In the second quarter, the defending AML champion Lady Wolves pressed for only two minutes but maintained their intense man-for-man defense in the half-court to create 12 more turnovers.
Four layups off steals and eight free throws in nine attempts made it 42-10 before Savannah Strickland and Becca Johnson hit field goals in the final minute of the half for the Lady Tide.
At intermission, McCracken impressed on the Lady Tide that the Lady Wolves were showing what it takes to be successful with their intensity and hustle.
“I told them we want to aspire to be that kind of team,” he recounted.
Saquin hit two short jumpers and a layup in the first two minutes of the third quarter and Perry’s steal for two increased the lead to 50-14 before Seaburn netted a pair of shots from close range.
Kane countered with eight consecutive points for the 40-point difference that made it a running clock the rest of the way.
“They have good size and good balance, and they probably had 20 assists,” McCracken said. “They found each other really well. And took advantage of our turnovers, really. They finished at the end of turnovers, and we’ve had that problem we haven’t been able to do that.”
In the final period, neither team scored until the final two minutes, with Curwensville netting four of the six points.
The Lady Tide goes to DuBois Central Catholic Friday for an AML South Division game.
Kane’s junior varsity also was victorious, 48-27. Tiara Bumbarger scored 12 points for Curwensville.
KANE — 60
Angie Geer 2 0-0 4, Drew Victory 4 5-6 12, Audrey Perry 7 0-1 14, Nerissa Rich 2 0-0 4, Dawn Saquin 6 2-2 14, Taylor Bucheit 1 1-2 3, Shannon Kocjancic 1 0-0 2, Katelyn Moran 1 0-0 2, Taylor Morgan 0 4-4 4, Jackie Bedford 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 24 12-15 60.
CURWENSVILLE — 24
Savannah Strickland 1 0-0 2, Tierra Shope 0 0-0 0, Becca Johnson 1 0-0 2, Ciara Strickland 1 0-0 2, Katrina Seaburn 5 1-2 11, Tiara Bumbarger 0 3-4 3, Tiffany Carter 0 2-2 2, Kealy Wassil 0 0-0 0, Megan McGarry 0 0-0 0, Heather Thorp 0 0-0 0, Abby Dugo 1 0-0 2, Lindsey Hullihen 0 0-0 0, Jordy McFadden 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 9 6-8 24.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Kane 26 16 16 2 – 60
Curwensville 4 10 6 4 – 24
Officials – Bill Overly and Rob Murphy.