2 weeks Ago By By. JO WANKEL Era Sports Writer
DUKE CENTER — Despite a packed gym and the heightened emotion of senior night, Otto-Eldred was plagued by illness and the absence of starter Ayla Van Scoter, suffering a 28-19 loss Friday. Oswayo Valley jumped out to a 10-0 lead, with O-E’s first tally scored on a free throw by Baylee Francis with 2:50 left in the first quarter. OV’s Eva West answered with a basket before a foul allowed O-E’s Jahden Smith to add two more points on free throws.
Hakes added a basket and Francis scored two points on free throws before the first quarter ended with OV leading 12-7. Scoring in the second quarter was limited to a single basket by OV’s Audrey Resig just over a minute in and a successful free throw from West with 6:09 left for the half. The rest of the quarter was a story of near misses for both sides, sending the teams into the locker room at halftime with the score OV 15, Otto-Eldred 7.
“Defensively, we couldn’t play much better,” Oswayo Valley coach Clark Cummings said. “We did everything we had to do on the defensive end. That team is an outstanding team all-around.
Offensively, they are really hard to stop. We felt like if we could limit their dribble penetration and prevent kickout threes that we would have a chance, and that is what we are able to do.” The Lady Terrors came out of the locker room and sank three baskets before OV answered with a three from Resig.
Bell battled in for a basket with 1:51 left in the third, cutting OV’s lead to three points (18-15) at the end of the quarter. The Green Wave rolled to victory with 10 additional points in the fourth quarter, 6 of those unanswered before O-E’s offense rallied with a basket from Drummond with just under three minutes on the clock and another with 1:27 to go, making the score 25-19, still in OV’s favor. MaKenna Manning sank some free throws to push OV’s lead to 28-19, which stood at the buzzer.
Oswayo Valley completed the two game season sweep of the Terrors, which is impressive considering that Otto-Eldred is 18-1 against the rest of their schedule. “Offensively is always a challenge for us,” Cummings said. “We did enough to get by, with that defensive effort.
” Otto-Eldred seniors Reese Kinney and Sueda Dagci were recognized for their growth during their respective first years playing Otto-Eldred basketball. “Reese just came on this year, and Sueda is a foreign exchange student. Having those two was great for our program,” said Otto-Eldred coach Shawn Gray.
“They were probably two of the most improved kids that we had this year. They both brought a spirit that helped us throughout the year.” “Sueda being from Turkey had never played basketball in her life, and you wouldn’t have known it when you watched her in the JV game tonight.
She fit right in and played great defense. Reese, she’s just a fantastic human being. I wish she would have come out four or five years ago.
It would have been great for us.” Seniors Addie Bell and Carrie Drummond, who posted two and six points respectively in Friday’s loss, were recognized for their persistence on the court. “As for (Addie and Carrie), I know their parents and they’ve raised great human beings.
They’ve definitely made a mark on me and on my program,” Gray said. “They’re two of the hardest playing kids we’ve had. I don’t think basketball was their favorite sport, but you wouldn’t know it by how hard they play.
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Carrie and Addie, I just can’t say enough about those two.” Cummings also shared thoughts on OV’s seniors, whom he has been coaching since seventh grade. “We’ve been together for six years.
They fight, they grind, and they battle. We’re not the most skilled team, but we play hard and they give me everything I could ever ask from them. It’s a great group, and they are going to be missed for sure.
” “I hope the younger girls have seen what they’ve been able to accomplish through just playing hard and listening and doing what’s asked of you. They have really set the table for hopefully some success in the future.” AT OTTO-ELDRED OSWAYO VALLEY (28) Austin-Keech 3-0-0-7, Manning 0-3-6-3, Eva West 4-1-2-11, Thompson 0-2-2-2, Resig 2-0-0-5.
Totals 9-6-10-28. OTTO-ELDRED (19) Bell 1-0-0-2, Drummond 3-0-1-6, Hakes 2-0-0-4, Francis 1-3-5-5, Smith 0-2-2-2. Totals 7-5-8-19.
O-E 708 4 OV 123310 Three-point goals: O-E None; OV 4 (Austin-Keech 1, West 2, Resig 1). Total Fouls: O-E 10, OV 8. JV Score: Oswayo Valley won 27-15.
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