TWINSBURG: Twinsburg’s 65-50 victory over Hudson on Wednesday night in a Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division was not nearly as close as the score indicated.
The defending Division I state champion Tigers (8-2, 4-0) were impressive, putting the game away with big scoring blitzes off their defense in the second quarter and early in the third quarter.
And Twinsburg did it with such ease against a strong Hudson team.
But Tigers coach Julie Solis was not happy. In fact, the locker room was closed for a long time after the game.
So why did she spend so much time talking to her team?
“I did not like the way we played defense,” Solis said. “Not counting the second half of the game, I thought we have played good defense recently.”
Solis acknowledged the Tigers played a mostly good first half.
“I thought everything was pretty solid in the first half. Yeah, we played well in the first half, but they [Hudson] had four offensive rebounds and that’s too much for me,” Solis said.
That comment drew some grins and she said, “You’re laughing, but I’m being serious.”
Anyone wanting to understand the coach’s competitive nature should have witnessed the scene. Solis, who also took Solon to a Division I championship game, would not allow her team to accept what she considered a poor defensive effort in the second half.
Malina Howard took the coach’s displeasure to heart. Howard, a 6-foot-4 senior center who led all scorers with 23 points, was not her usual relaxed self after the game.
When asked if this was one of her more well-rounded games, Howard said: “Not as a team … I guess. It does not matter how I played, it is how the team plays. We have to play a lot better as a team.”
Twinsburg’s strengths were on full display after the team started with some early turnovers but managed to lead 21-15 by the end of the first quarter. Ashley Morrisette scored all 11 of her points in the quarter.
In the second quarter, the Tigers quickly went on a roll, leading to an 18-3 spurt that led to a commanding 45-27 lead. Howard scored 17 of her 23 points in the first half. A 10-0 run to start the third quarter moved the lead to 55-27 and, for all intents and purposes, the game was over.
Hudson coach Dennis Lawler understood his team simply was up against one of the best, if not the best, teams in the state.
He said the Explorers play one of the tougher schedules in Northeast Ohio, but Twinsburg has played some top national teams and has state tournament experience where the games are more physical.
“They were more physical than us,” Lawler said.
“I am proud of the way we hung in there. We have to execute better.”
Lawler said it is hard to defend a team with the likes of Howard, who can not only use her size but also play outside, and Morrisette, who can hit from the outside or use her quickness to slash her way to the basket.
The Explorers (5-2, 2-2) were led in scoring by Laura Mummey and Jackie Ulmer with 10 points each, and eight points from Christie Wade.
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