Recordpub.com - Roosevelt makes statement with win over Ravens

By David Carducci

Record-Courier staff writer

Kent Roosevelt made an early statement in the Portage Trail Conference Metro Division race with a 40-33 win at Ravenna in Saturday night’s division opener.

Like so many border skirmishes, the Rough Riders’ win was a war of attrition. Although it probably wasn’t as aesthetically pleasing as the Battle of Verdun, the Battle of the Somme or any of the other clashes on World War I’s Western Front.

After three quarters, Roosevelt had twice as many turnovers (16) than made baskets (8). And after shooting just 20 percent (8-for-39) in those first 24 minutes, everyone wearing Roosevelt’s black-and-red had to feel fortunate just to be within striking distance of one of the Metro Division’s preseason favorites. The Rough Riders trailed by just four points, 26-22, heading into the final quarter.

“Coming into the game, we knew Ravenna was an extremely good offensive team,” said Roosevelt head coach Craig Foreman. “Our big thing is defense, and we knew if we stuck with it on defense, eventually the shots would start falling.”

Roosevelt’s 3-2 matchup zone made life miserable for the Ravens all night long, but particularly in the fourth quarter. Ravenna shot just 22 percent from the floor (11-for-50) for the night, but that number plummeted to just 10 percent (1-for-10) in the final eight minutes. Add in seven turnovers, and the fourth quarter was a miserable experience for the Ravens.

While Ravenna struggled in the final minutes, Roosevelt surged ahead behind an Abby Wemhoff-led 8-0 run. Wemhoff scored just six points in the game, but five of those came in the deciding spurt after Ravenna had taken a brief 31-30 lead on a Chanel Berry free throw with 4:02 to play.

Roosevelt converted five of its eight field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter. It was the only period in which the Rough Riders shot better than 25 percent.

“We have a group of seniors who have been through a lot over the years,” said Foreman. “There was no panic in them, ever. That helped us make that run at the end. Even when we got down 8-0 right at the start of the game. I called a time out, and in the past they would have come over to the bench with their heads hanging. Instead, they came over with their eyes up, ready for some new information.”

Roosevelt answered Ravenna’s 8-0 spurt to open the game by holding the Ravens scoreless for more than nine minutes.

After Berry floated in a layup with 6:38 to play in the first quarter to put her team ahead 8-0, the Ravens didn’t score again until Lauren Tilden sank a 15-foot jumper with 5:07 remaining in the second quarter.

Five different Rough Riders — Stephanie Allen, Aylesha Hudkins, Christine Keener, Liz Thomas and Emily Carver — scored during the Ravens’ drought as Roosevelt pulled ahead 10-8.

The twin posts of Carver and Thomas led Roosevelt’s total team effort with eight points each. Wemhoff and Keen both added six points.

Tilden was Ravenna’s only real offensive threat. The senior guard led all scorers with 15 points, while drilling four 3-pointers. Her deep 3-pointer from the left wing with 4:18 to play in the game, tying the game at 30, was the only field goal Ravenna (2-1) managed in the entire fourth quarter.

“We had a week to prepare for this game, so I think our girls were really ready to play,” said Foreman. “There was a pretty definite sense that we were the underdog in this game and our girls knew that. I’m really proud of the way they played.”

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David Carducci can be contacted at dcarducci@recordpub.com