Lewis Central girls hold second half lead in win over Creston

What Creston girls did to start the game, Lewis Central did to start the second half. Creston was not able to consistently shoot or match up well as visiting Lewis Central went on to win Thursday 51-40.

The first points of the game were not until Creston’s Ella Turner’s free throw with 5:04 in the quarter. That would turn into a Creston 8-0 lead before Lewis Central’s first points, a 3-pointer, with 3:25 left.

The Trojans wouldn’t miss their next two shots, also 3-pointers, to take a 9-8 lead.

Second half action was reverse. After leading 20-18 at half, it was the Titans who came out scoring. Lewis Central built a 28-20 lead with 4:11 left in the third quarter.

“We played hard. We played well. They are a top team in the conference. It was a physical,” said Creston coach Tony Neubauer. “We’ve just got to be better at identifying shooters. LC is very athletic.”

Creston girls experienced the frustration and science of basketball as a multiple shots had the ball go around the rim but not fall in. The physics didn’t get the girls out of routine.

“Shots didn’t go down, but the girls never gave up,” Neubauer said. “The game never got out of hand. We had it down to five points with four minutes left (in the game).”

Creston finished making 13 of 52 shots and was 1-15 from the 3-point line. At the free throw line, Creston was 13-23. The Panthers had 16 turnovers.

Lewis Central maintained an 8 to 10 point lead in the third quarter. Panther junior Hollynn Rieck was aggressive going to the basket and creating the foul. Her contributions in the quarter were appreciated by Neubauer.

He said a charge call on Rieck was a decisive moment in the fourth quarter as Creston only trailed by four. Rieck finished with 11 points from 3-10 shooting and 5-8 at the free throw line. Junior Kadley Bailey was Creston high score with 19 points. She was 7-13 from the field and 5-9 at the free throw line.

Creston’s Ava Adamson missed the game because of a combination of illness and leg injury. Neubauer could only guess Adamson’s injury will keep her out a couple of weeks.

Rieck’s basket with 4:02 left in the game cut the deficit to 45-39. That would be the last threat Creston had as Lewis Central scored baskets on consecutive possessions to keep the lead.

The 11 points was the biggest lead for Lewis Central which happened in the second half. “I thought we did a decent job,” Neubauer said. “We play this team in December, and it’s not a basketball game.”

Lewis Central’s senior Brooke Larsen has been a four-year starter including having scored 1,000 points in her career. She finished with 13 points and a team high 14 rebounds.

Sophomore Macie Vetter was top scorer for the Titans with 22. She was 7-19 from the field, 3-11 from the 3-point line and made all five free throws.

Brynn Tussey had eight rebounds to lead Creston. Adyson Morrison finished with six and Rieck had five. Rieck led Creston with five assists.

Creston is 5-8 and plays today at Shenandoah.

“We have Shen next, another top team in the conference,” Neubauer said.

Kuemper visits Creston 6 p.m. Friday. That is Creston’s senior night.

STATS

CRESTON (40) — Totals — (FG FT PTS) 13 13-52 40. Kadley Bailey 7 5-9 19, Brynn Tussey 2 0-0 5, Hollynn Rieck 3 5-8 11, Ella Turner 0 2-4 2 Jansen Tussey 1 1-2 5. FG shooting — 13/52 (25 percent). 3-point goals — 1 (J. Tussey). Rebounds — 31 (Bailey 5, Rieck 5, Turner, 5, Morrison 6, B. Tussey 8, J. Tussey, 2). Assists — 8 (Bailey 2, Rieck 5, Morrison, 1). Steals — 13 (Bailey 6, Rieck 4, Turner 1, B. Tussey 2). Turnovers — 16. Team fouls — 10. Fouled out — None.

LEWIS CENTRAL (51) — Totals — (FG FT PTS) 19 6-6 51. Ellie Borns 2 0-0 6, Macie Vetter 7 5-5 22, Claire Miller 1 0-0 2, Brooklyn Rutledge 2 0-0 5, Avery Zimmerman 1 0-0 3, Brooke Larsen 6 1-1 13. FG shooting — 19-56 (33.9 percent). 3-point goals — 7 (Borns 2, Vetter 3, Rutledge 1, Zimmerman 1). Steals — 7 (Borns 1, Matiyow 1, Miller 3, Rutledge 1, Zimmerman 1). Rebounds — 44 (Vetter 2, Matiyow 7, Miller 12, Rutledge 6, Wohlers 1, Larsen 14). Turnovers — 25. Team fouls — 17. Fouled out — NA.