Perimeter game lights up for Owls

0

The Seymour girls’ basketball team displayed a hot perimeter game along with a strong inside shooting attack to roll past Salem 66-38 in the Lloyd E. Scott Gymnasium Saturday night.

Owls Coach Jason Longmeier said he was pleased with the shooters’ performances, as Seymour (1-0) shot 13-for-25 from 3-point range and 24 of 58 overall.

“In the first game of the year, you shoot the ball the way we did, I think you’ve got to take a lot away from that,” he said. “I’m really pleased with our transition offense. I think our transition offense is way ahead of our half-court offense.

“We have to get better in the half-court, which we will. We have great kids that do a great job of paying attention and listen. I like what our chemistry is at this point in time. You can tell just by watching us play.”

[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]

Click here to purchase photos from this gallery

A rebound turned into a basket by Makenna Fee which put the Owls on top and Seymour never trailed.

Lauren James followed with a layup, and added two 3-pointers later in the quarter to spark the Owls to a 14-7 lead at the end of the quarter.

The Owls struggled the first four minutes of the second period when they were outscored 6-0 resulting in a 14-13 score.

Seymour then showed it can get hot in a hurry as Ashton Chase came off the bench and scored two quick bucks to put Seymour on top 18-13.

After Alaina Davidson scored for the Lions, the Owls went to their perimeter game and hit four 3-pointers in a span of two minutes to go up 30-15 at the half.

James scored from the left corner, Chase and Fee scored from the right corner, and Megan Ritz added another trio from the left corner and the Owls were in complete control as the half ended.

Griffin, who did not score a point in the first half, scored Seymour’s first seven points of the third period to boost the lead to 40-19, and she added a rebound basket later in the period as the Owls held a 52-23 lead entering the fourth quarter.

“We’re a very unselfish team, and I thought in the first half you could see that just by the way (Kayla) Griffin played,” Longmeier said. “Griffin is the type of kid that is capable of taking over a game like she showed at the start of the third quarter.

“In the first half she came out and tried to get everybody else involved. That says a lot about the kind of player she is.”

James topped all players with 21 points, Fee scored 10 and Griffin and Ritz finished with nine each.

Sarah Benefiel and Chase finished with seven points each.

Longmeier said opposing defenses can’t focus on stopping one or two players.

“That’s something we’ve taken a lot of pride on since I’ve come here: having multiple kids that can score the ball,” he said. “That’s what we’ve had in years past and I think that’s what makes us hard to scout. It’s hard to take one or two kids away. You’ve got Fee, a 6-foot kid that can step out and hit the three. That stretches the defense.”

James had five 3s, Ritz made three, Fee two, and three other girls had one.

The Owls held a 35-25 advantage on the boards with Fee pulling down 12 rebounds.

“I thought late we got out of position, and when you’re not on good defensive position, you’re not in good rebounding position,” Longmeier said.

Seymour held the Lions to 14-for-50 shooting from the floor.

“Defensively, we’ve got to be better,” Longmeier said. “I thought we struggled to defend the ball at times. We gave up some easy baskets. Those are things we can fix.”

The Owls will open their Hoosier Hills Conference schedule Tuesday night at Bedford North Lawrence.

No posts to display