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WELLSTON — The matchup within Thursday’s matchup was the strength of South Gallia’s guard play against the strength of Notre Dame’s interior presence.
Something had to give and, in the end, the Titans abandoned the outside when it mattered most while the Rebels continued to rely on it in the closing moments.
Despite trailing by eight points in the second half, Notre Dame navigated choppy waters and managed to push the game into overtime.
In the extra time frame, the Titans (20-4) controlled the paint through Katie Strickland and Gracie Ashley and attacked the interior of the Rebels’ defense. That was the key to finishing the job in a 70-64 victory in a Division IV district final.
CREDIT: Seth Fain/SOSA
“Perseverance. That’s what this game came down to in the end and I couldn’t be more proud of the girls for overcoming adversity on this stage,” Notre Dame coach J.D. McKenzie said. “Were there times we didn’t play well? Absolutely. Did South Gallia’s play have something to do with that? Absolutely. But we’re a veteran ball team who understands how to handle this moment. South Gallia deserves a lot of credit for how they competed and pushed us, but we wanted it more.”
18 days ago, South Gallia (20-5) went on the road, buried 10-plus 3-point field goals and earned a narrow two-point victory at Notre Dame.
The goal for the Titans was to limit the number of shots from the outside and force SG to drive the ball to the hoop. And although the Rebels still hit nine triples, they went 1-of-6 from deep in overtime.
“We didn’t take great care of the ball and there were a couple defenses that we didn’t play against them the first time,” Ashley said. “Once overtime came, we knew that we wanted the game more and we were determined to get the ball into the post since good things always happen when we throw the ball inside. It gave us control, put them on their heels and allowed us to play our game.”
Meanwhile, Strickland, throughout the night, patrolled the paint and wasn’t going to be denied her and her team’s moment.
PHOTOS: Images from Notre Dame’s district final win over South Gallia
She put on a master class inside the paint, showing toughness on offensive rebound opportunities and a soft touch on shot attempts. She ended with a game-high 26 points and seven rebounds.
“We all have roles on this team, and mine is to work in the post, take advantage of mismatches and fight for rebounds,” Strickland said. “I knew there was a chance that this could be my very last game, so I really worked hard and gave it my all.”
Ella Kirby started the game with back-to-back 3’s for the Titans to quickly go ahead 6-0. The Rebels later responded with a 10-2 run behind Morgan Lyons and Tori Triplett, including a four-point play from Triplett to take a 12-10 lead.
Triplett continued to pour it on while Strickland and Ashley scored on the inside to keep pace. But it was the Rebels, behind 10 Triplett points, who held an 18-17 lead after a quarter.
The Titans opened the second on an 8-2 run behind Ashley and Annabelle Ball, but South Gallia responded with back-to-back 3’s from Jacie Boothe to retake a 26-25 edge. Both teams exchanged leads throughout the rest of the frame, but the Rebels took a 32-29 advantage into halftime.
Notre Dame opened the third committing three turnovers within 90 seconds, leading to five points from Lyons and pushing the lead to 37-29.
However, there was no panic on the Titans’ bench.
Instead, Ashley and Strickland each scored as part of a 9-2 run to bring the deficit to 39-38. Yet, they couldn’t get over the hump as the Rebels maintained a 44-42 advantage heading into the fourth.
“When we’re patient offensively, it’s a massive advantage to be able to throw the ball inside to either Gracie or Katie for a shot at the rim,” McKenzie said. “Those two work so hard inside the paint, and they are the strength of our team. I don’t think that’s a secret anymore, or hasn’t been for a while. Katie battled so hard inside, and Gracie did a great job and even showcased her ability to knock down the outside shot.”
After an Ashley bucket tied the game, Triplett responded with five of the next seven points to keep the Rebels ahead 49-46. The intensity was high, but it was about to reach another level.
Boothe buried a triple, Notre Dame’s Bree Hicks notched a rebound and putback, and SG’s Lindsey Wells scored on the other end to make it 54-52. Strickland got a bucket, only for Lyons to score, before Strickland scored again to tie the game at 56-56 with 7.6 seconds left, eventually forcing overtime.
Ashley hit two free throws to start, followed by buckets from Strickland that put Notre Dame back in the lead at 62-58. Strickland hit a shot and Kirby hit two free throws, effectively putting the game on ice and allowing ND to celebrate its fifth district championship in the last eight seasons.
“This one is very special to say the least. I’ve personally dealt with a lot this season. After every game, I always give my wife, Crystal and my mom a hug. Well, now it’s just my wife, but I can picture my mom giving me that hug after this one and seeing how she would be celebrating with us,” McKenzie said, fighting back tears. “At one point, I thought that she had seen me coach my last basketball game after I stepped away. But I’ll admit, I missed this a lot and I’m glad I came back. Personally, this district means so much to me and I’m so proud of this team.”
CREDIT: Seth Fain/SOSA
Following Strickland’s final stat line was Ashley, who finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Kirby added 13 points to the mix.
For South Gallia, Triplett finished with 25 points and Lyons had 20 alongside six rebounds.
Notre Dame returns to action in a Division IV regional semifinal at 6 p.m., March 7 at Pickerington North High School against the winner of Saturday’s East District final between Berlin Hiland and Hannibal River.
“We’ve preached everyday about getting back to regionals and getting over that hump. But winning a district was the first step and all that work in practice has been completely worth it,” Ashley said. “At this point in the season, every team is really good so it just comes down to executing on both sides of the ball and playing as a team.”
BOX SCORE
Notre Dame: 17-12-13-14 (14) — 70
South Gallia: 18-14-12-12 (8) — 64
Notre Dame: 23-47 FG, 17-22 FT, 7-20 3pt., 33 rebounds (Ashley 7, Hicks ), 14 turnovers, 16 assists (Ball 8). Scoring: Strickland 26, Ashley 20, Kirby 13, Ball 6, Hicks 4, Darden 1.
South Gallia: 22-48 FG, 11-12 FT, 9-23 3pt., 18 rebounds (Lyons 7), 9 turnovers, 3 assists (Triplett 2). Scoring: Triplett 25, Lyons 20, Boothe 12, Summers 5, Wells 2.
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