The first four games of the season have been quite a grind for the Lady Purples, and Thursday night was no different.
After a tough 39-32 loss to McLean County on Monday evening and a hard-fought 66-59 win over Glasgow on Tuesday, Bowling Green edged out Allen County-Scottsville, 48-43, on Thursday evening.
The Lady Patriots hung close with the Lady Purples throughout the entire game, which was especially easy when Bowling Green senior guard Keely Morrow got into foul trouble in the first half.
“This was our third game in four days. We had to grind out during a loss to McLean County and then grind out a win over Glasgow and then come back with a tough Allen County team,” Lady Purple head coach Calvin Head said. “Honestly, the resiliency that they showed without having Keely on the floor showed some growth.”
However, while Morrow stayed off the floor, sophomore Shalyn Whitson stayed on it, providing an inside spark for the Lady Purples as she led the team with 15 points while helping to outscore ACS 22-4 in the paint.
“I took [Shalyn] out of the starting lineup just because we had a lot of pressure on her,” Head said. “The last two games, she really hadn’t played well, so we talked and she said ‘I’m a little more comfortable coming off the bench,’ and it worked. She was a difference maker.”
In addition to the play of Whitson, Bowling Green (3-1) was able to maintain the lead and keep the Lady Patriots off balance with a highly-effective full-court press.
“It’s going well so far this season,” Head said of the press defense. “It’s a possession-type game. We can get more possessions than they do and get players out in transition. It helps our scoring, and the girls know that. They’re willing to play up-tempo and fast paced, and so pressing allows us to really dictate that tempo.”
The Lady Patriots (1-3) came out of the first quarter with a 12-11 lead, thanks largely in part to 10 points from junior forward Mason Towery in the opening quarter.
“Towery and [Sarah] Sutton, they’re a nice combination,” Head said. “That’s probably one of the best one-two punches in the region. They were all over our scouting report and our focus. We tried to get the ball out of their hands as much as possible.”
The Lady Purples were able to gain some breathing room in the second quarter, finishing the first half on a 10-4 run to go into the locker room with a 25-20 lead.
ACS quickly tied the game back up at 25 in the second half on a basket by Bailee Alderson and a 3-pointer by Towery, and both teams continued to trade baskets as Bowling Green led 37-34 after three quarters.
The Lady Patriots pulled back within 39-38 in the beginning of the fourth quarter, but a 5-0 run gave the Lady Purples enough distance to escape with the victory.
Behind Whitson’s team-leading 15 points, Morrow added 12 points and grabbed a team-hight nine rebounds. Taylor Ragland also added nine points for Bowling Green.
Towery recorded a double-double, scoring 17 points and pulling down 12 rebounds. Sutton racked up 14 points and grabbed six more rebounds for the Lady Patriots.
Bowling Green will hit the road to take on Greenwood at 6:00 next Tuesday, while Allen County-Scottsville returns home on Friday evening to host Cumberland County at 6:00.
Bowling Green 48, Allen County-Scottsville 43
Bowling Green (3-1)
Keely Morrow 4 3-4 12; Kiyah Gray 1 0-0 2; Taylor Ragland 2 5-9 9; T’Alla Brown 3 0-0 6; Mariah Gray 0 0-0 0; Shalyn Whitson 7 1-3 15; Sasha Martin 2 0-0 4; Trinity Tardy 0 0-0 0; Z’Nyah Owens 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 9-16 48. 3-point goals: 1 (Morrow 1). Fouls: 19. Fouled out: None.
Allen County-Scottsville (1-3)
Sarah Sutton 3 8-10 14; Bailee Alderson 1 1-2 3; Sydney Day 1 1-2 3; Mason Towery 8 0-0 17; Kali Mutter 1 0-0 2; Jaylee Woods 2 0-0 4; Baylea Cook 0 0-0 0; Jae McReynolds 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 10-14 43. 3-point goals: 1 (Towery 1). Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.
Bowling Green 12 8 14 9 – 48
Allen Co-Scottsville 11 14 12 11 – 43
