Lady Devils bumped by CCD

By Mark Carpenter

People’s Defender

Basking in a six-game winning streak since the first of the year, Coach Rob Davis and his North Adams Lady Devils faced a tall task on Saturday, January 20 as they traveled to Eastern Brown High School to take part in the 2024 Winter Hoops Classic. Their opponent wasn’t the host Lady Warriors, but instead the #8 ranked Division III girls team in the Ohio AP poll, the Cincinnati Country Day Nighthawks. The Nighthawks roster boasted a number of players who have been part of back-to-back Division III state soccer championships, led by the senior twins, Megan and Elizabeth Zimmerman. That skill set and athleticism has made an easy transition to the hardwood as CCD carried an 10-3 mark into Saturday’s contest.

The challenge was a mighty one for the North Adams girls and for three quarters they played straight up with the favored Nighthawks. Unfortunately, a high school basketball game consists of four quarters and it was that “other” one that doomed the Lady Devils. Trailing by just a single point after the first period, the Lady Devils stumbled in the second stanza, only managing one basket, in the process digging themselves a 16-point halftime hole. The second half was spent playing catch-up but the Nighthawks were just too good to let that lead get away as they handed Coach Davis and his troops their fourth loss of the season by a final count of 58-39.

“Good teams are going to pounce on your mistakes and we started playing scared,” said Coach Davis after the loss. “We’d break their press and then instead of attacking the basket, we’d sit back and wait for their defense to set up. We missed a lot of easy shots and passed up a lot of easy shots, just not looking to score at all.”

The game began on a low note for the Lady Devils as CCD jumped out 5-0 after a three-point goal by Sam Easter. The first North Adams points of the day came on a deep three-ball from point guard Kenlie Jones and moments later the Devils got a drive and score by Karlie Kennedy, who was fouled on the play but missed the free throw only to see teammate Katelynn Boerger grab the rebound and put it back in for a 7-6 North Adams advantage. Two straight buckets by the Nighthawks gave them back the lead but the Lady Devils answered with a basket by Tatum Grooms and another Jones trey to go back on top 12-10. With 1:40 left in the first, the smooth-shooting Elizabeth Zimmerman nailed a three-pointer from the top of the key and CCD took a one-point lead as the second quarter began.

As mentioned, the second quarter turned out to be the eight minutes that decided this ball game. The Nighthawks dialed up the defensive pressure which made the Lady Devils start to force things on offense, which resulted in a slew of bad shots and turnover and none of that is a good thing when you are playing a team as talented as Cincinnati Country Day. As the Lady Devils were managing just a single baskets in eight minutes, that from Boerger at the 5:25 mark, the Nighthawks were flying high, putting up 17 in the quarter, ending the half on a 12-0 run to lead at the break 30-14.

Though a 16-point deficit to a state-ranked team did prove to eventually be insurmountable, it wasn’t because the Lady Devils didn’t give it all they had in the second half, but whenever they seemed poised to make a run, the Nighthawks always seemed to respond. In the third period, CCD retained their double digit advantage, getting two more “nothing but net” threes from Elizabeth Zimmerman. The third quarter endsd with consecutive three-pointers from the Lady Devils, coming from Jones and Taylor Shelton, the latter being at the buzzer to make it 40-26.

The closest the Lady Devils were to get came on their first possession of the final period when Jones drilled yet another long three-point shot, pulling her team within 11, only to see the Nighthawks erase any doubt about the outcome with 11-4 run that extended their lead to 53-33. The final North Adams points of the afternoon came on baskets from Grooms, Boerger and Jones but when the final horn made its appearance, it was Country Day heading back to the city with a 19-point victory in their pocket.

“We cut it to 11 there early in the fourth quarter but a couple of turnovers here and a three there and they took over again,” said Coach Davis. “We collapsed on defense which is not something we normally do and they took advantage. They’re a good ball club, they’re athletic and quick. I just felt like we got scared a little bit in that second quarter and let things get away.”

The winners placed a trio of girls in double figures, led by the Zimmerman twins, Elizabeth and Megan both with 17. Teammate Piper Farris had 11 with Sam Easter adding 9 in the 11th win of the season for CCD.

North Adams (12-4) was paced by 15 points from Kenlie Jones, joined in double figures by Katelyn Boerger with 10.

The Lady Devils were slated to be back in action on Monday, January 22, back in Southern Hills Athletic Conference play as they hosted the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats, leaders in the SHAC small school division. A big conference game looms on Thursday night as North Adams will host the Fairfield Lady Lions. At press time, the Lady Devils were 8-1 in SHAC play, still tied with Lynchburg for the top spot in the big school division.

Country Day

13 17 10 18 – 58

North Adams

12 2 12 13 – 39

CCD (58): Easter 4 0-2 9, Weber 1 0-0 2, M. Zimmerman 7 2-3 17, Hardesty 1 0-0 2, E. Zimmerman 4 6-6 17, Farris 5 0-0 11, Team 22 8-11 58.

N. Adams (39): Grooms 2 0-0 4, Kennedy 1 0-3 2, Boerger 5 0-0 10, Brand 2 1-2 5, Jones 5 1-2 15, T. Shelton 1 0-0 3, Team 16 2-7 39.

Three-Point Goals:

CCD (6)- Easter 1, M. Zimmerman 1, E. Zimmerman 3, Farris 1

N. Adams (5)- Jones 4, T. Shelton 1