SHELBY, Ohio — The opening game of Wednesday’s Shelby Rotary NCO Girls All-Star Classic lived up to its name.
North Central Ohio’s underclassmen put on a show during the Underclass Showcase.
St. Peter’s sophomore Emily Yeager led six players in double figures with 17 points as the Black Team, coached by Willard’s Jon Dawson, stormed to a 107-83 win over the White, coached by Clear Fork’s Heidi Roush.
“It was awesome. There were a lot of great girls playing and the team just got along so well,” said Shelby sophomore Jackie Garrett, who scored 13 points for the Black. “It was a great experience.”
The Black trailed in the early going, but began to heat up from beyond the arc about midway through the first of two 20-minute halves. Dawson’s squad opened a 54-39 halftime advantage.
“We had such a small team going up against a bunch of tall girls,” Garrett said. “It was scary at the beginning, but once a few girls started hitting shots and making nice passes, it picked up the whole team.”
The White cut the deficit to 10 points early in the second half, but the Black went on an 18-0 run to put the game away. Carey junior Sydney Wentling was selected the Underclass Showcase MVP, scoring 16 points and grabbing nine rebounds. New London’s Payton Shays matched Wentling with 16 points, while Bellevue’s Jenna Strayer added 15. Colonel Crawford’s Alexus Burkhardt had 13.
The Black connected on 15 3-pointers. Yeager and Wentling each hit four triples.
The White was led by Crestview’s Renee Stimpert and Norwalk’s Jiselle Thomas, who had 14 points apiece. Willard’s Gabi Baldridge had 13 points, while Carey’s Shelby Kin added 10.
“It was a fast-paced game, but I had a lot of fun,” said Mansfield Senior’s Rajaa Anderson, a junior who had eight points for the White team. “It was a good experience to play with so many talented girls.”
Shooting Star: Bellevue’s Carly Santoro won the 3-point shooting contest during halftime of the Underclass Showcase. The Bowling Green State University-bound Santoro had 14 points.
