Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
WAVERLY — When it comes down to it, experience on the big stage matters.
Look no further than North Adams in district play over the last five years. The Devils have been a mainstay at the district level and their experience in those types of games was on full display on Saturday — and helped them advance.
The Green Devils (20-5) forced 25 turnovers and overwhelmed South Point in the second half by a 24-12 margin to win 47-27 — claiming their second straight district championship and the third in the last five years.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
“We got in a good bit of foul trouble, but everyone stepped up. I think this was a measure of how much we’ve grown all season by playing smart with fouls,” North Adams coach Rob Davis said. “There were times my assistants would ask if they wanted to pull them, and I said to just let them play to see what happens. I couldn’t have been more proud of the girls for how they battled, and it’s special to bring another district back to North Adams.”
North Adams began the game with a 5-0 lead after a bucket from Katelynn Boerger and a triple from Kenlie Jones.
South Point’s Camille Hall responded with five of her team’s next seven points, but a free throw from McKenna Shelton kept the Green Devils ahead 8-7 after the first quarter.
With the game tied 10-10, North Adams began to create distance.
Boerger, Jones, Karlie Kennedy and Harlee Brand combined to go on a 10-2 run, pushing the lead to 20-12 before closing out the first half with a 23-15 advantage.
“We’re a team with a lot of dogs on it,” Davis said. “Going into halftime, we made it a point that we were going to jump on them and put pressure on the very second they inbounded the ball. I didn’t care about the foul trouble, we had the momentum and we were determined to keep it.”
PHOTOS: Images from North Adams’ district final win over South Point
Baskets from Boerger and Jones gave the Green Devils their biggest lead of the game at that point, early in the third, at 27-17.
South Point (14-9) then cut the lead to 29-22 before North Adams went on a 6-0 run behind Kennedy, Brand and Tatum Grooms, extending the lead to 35-22.
NA closed out the third ahead 35-25 and the lead never dipped below double digits again, allowing the Devils to cruise to the Sweet 16.
“The whole goal of the game was to be running up and down since we didn’t want to get into a halfcourt game with them,” Davis said. “Our defense was a huge part of that, forcing as many turnovers as we did throughout the night. They had a size advantage on us, but our speed in the open floor and in the passing lanes was enough to keep them off rhythm. We executed really well on both sides of the ball, kept their best players mostly in check and showed toughness until the end.”
Boerger finished with 13 points and four rebounds for NA while Jones added 10 points and four boards.
For South Point, Hall finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Saratina Jackson added 10 points.
North Adams returns to action in a Division III regional semifinal at 6:15, Wednesday at Logan High School against Beverly Fort Frye, who defeated Union Local to win the East District.
“Our kids are used to be in a big-time atmosphere just like today was, and it’ll be the same way on Wednesday in Logan,” Davis said. “Fort Fyre is usually a team that keeps the score low. We’ve played a tough schedule this year and we’ve competed tough. We lost on the regional semifinal stage in the closing seconds last year, so hopefully we can take advantage of this second chance.”
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