Arcanum first half 17-0 scoring run produces big win over the visiting Minster Lady Wildcats
ARCANUM – The Arcanum Lady Trojans took advantage of 17-unanswered points to defeat the visiting Minster Lady Wildcats 45-32 in non-conference play.
“I feel fortunate to pull away and get the win here tonight,” said Arcanum coach, Abbey Moore. “The girls played hard, played gritting and we were able to pull away.”
Minster, a member of the Midwest Athletic Conference (MAC) with four state championships to the Lady Wildcats basketball program came into the night with a perfect 3-0 league mark.
“To be the best you have to beat the best,” Coach Moore said of scheduling the Lady Wildcats. “I feel like we really ramped up our schedule this year adding teams like Minster and Marion Local.”
“I like to play teams from up north, that’s the kind of basketball that I want my team to play – to be physical but under control,” Moore added. “I have a whole lot of respect for how they play basketball and to be able to add them and get that experience is only going to help us come tournament time.”
The Lady Wildcats jumped out to an early 6-2 advantage with under 4-minutes to play in the opening period only to see the Lady Trojans storm back to close out the first quarter and lead 13-6 after one complete.
Arcanum opened the second quarter extending its unanswered scoring run to 17-points and push its lead to 19-6 at the 5:56 mark in the second period.
“That was all our defense,” Coach Moore stated. “We had several big defensive plays and then we were able to force the tempo which is a big part of our game. We were able to finish in transition and that kind of got us going on our roll.”
Minster closed out first half play 8-3 sending the teams to the halftime break with Arcanum up 21-14.
The Lady Trojans held a 10-point double digit 25-15 lead with 6:18 showing on the third quarter board before the visitors used a 5-0 run to trail 25-20 at 4:48 in the third.
“That is one take away from tonight, that composure and those points,” Moore said of the Lady Wildcat’s run. “When Minster would make a run, would hit a big shot or make a big play and get that ‘and one’ we were able to answer on the other end.”
“That is huge come tournament time,” continued Moore. “You’re going to get everybody’s best and there is going to be runs both ways. We have to be able to withstand those runs and stay composed and still play our ballgame.”
Arcanum closed out third quarter action with a 7-0 run to lead 32-20 with one period to play.
The Lady Trojans made it an 18-point 45-28 advantage at 1:51 in the fourth bringing substitutions from both benches for a final 45-32 Arcanum win.
“All these games are preparing us for tournament time,” Moore said of the team’s 10-1 mark. “At a quality program like Minster it is only going to help us for those tournament like situations. We are taking the season one game at a time and using it as prep come tournament time.”
Arcanum was a torrid 10-11 at the free throw line for .91 percent, Minster went 8-19 at the charity stripe for .42 percent shooting.
Hailey Unger led Arcanum and all scorers with a game high 17-points.
BOXSCORE
ARCANUM 45, Minster 32
ARCANUM – H. Unger 17, M. McCans 12, T. Gray 8, M. Fearon 7, Ellie Fout 1 – TOTALS 13 10-11 3 45
MINSTER – K. Albers 16, E. Mescher 7, C. Meiring 5, L. Barhorst 3, K. McClurg 1 – TOTALS 6 8-19 4 32
3-POINTERS
Arcanum 3 (M. McCans 2, H. Unger 1)
Minster 4 (K. Albers 3, C. Meiring 1)
SCORE by QUARTERS
13-08-11-13 45 Arcanum
06-08-06-12 32 Minster
