GAME PHOTOS: http://smu.gs/2osUXvf
Chardon girls season ended Monday in a 50-41 loss to WRC rival North. But the Hilltoppers effort inspired head coach Cullen Harris to tweet after:
“I love my players. Win or lose — regardless of the score — they never quit. 2-6 first 8 games? Didn’t quit and finished 14-11. Down 18-4 end of 1 to Perry? Didn’t quit and came back to win. Down 25 to a tough North squad? Didn’t quit and cut it to 5.”
Four days before, Hilltoppers went to Mentor and stunned the Cardinals, 62-58, in a Division I Sectional Finals matchup.
Facing the Cardinals for the second time in roughly a month, Chardon took care of the ball down the stretch, limited turnovers and made clutch free throws to pull out the win and advance to the District Tournament.
With Chardon up by nine points late in the third quarter, Mentor chipped away at the lead. Instead of worrying about giving up the lead like they did in the first game, a 63-62 overtime loss on Feb. 5, the Hilltoppers were focused on winning.
“It was a different day, a different game,” said junior Sydney Feller. “I think our intensity was a lot better today.”
With less than two minutes to play, the Hilltoppers were clinging to a slim lead and playing a possession offense, attempting to keep the ball away from the Cardinals.
They were relying on precision passing to keep the ball away from the Cardinals and force Mentor to send them to the free throw line.
The plan worked.
Grace Bradley hit five of six free throws and Lindsey Nichols made two free throws of her own to put the game out of reach.
Mentor had the right idea putting Bradley at the line late, as she has struggled from the charity stripe this year.
Before the last two minutes of the game, she had made just three of seven shots.
Bradley though, made the free throws when her team needed them most.
“I knew I had to hit them,” said Bradley of her performance at the free throw line late in the game.
“It’s funny, that’s been her achilles heels,” said Chardon coach Cullen Harris of Bradley’s free throw shooting. “But she kept working and kept grinding and I’m happy I get to coach her for at least four more days.”
The Toppers caught a break right out of the gate in this rematch.
On the opening tip, Mentor senior Teagan Ochaya, who committed to play volleyball at Akron, despite several Division I offers to play basketball, injured her ankle on the opening tip and missed the first three minutes having her ankle treated.
Ochaya returned and made an immediate impact. With the 6-foot-2-inch star post player in the game, the Toppers had to adjust their play in the paint.
Chardon senior Dani McCartney, who scored just seven points in the first contest, scored nine in the first half.
She said she adjusted her inside game by pulling up and shooting jumpers inside the paint instead of going to the bucket.
“I drove and if they collapsed on the shooters I went up and if they collapsed on me, I kicked it out to the shooters,” said McCartney. “By stopping (before heading to the rim), I had a bigger opening to score.”
Lost in the midst of the close game was the Toppers defensive performance.
“Our defense has been playing well late in the season and communication has been key for us,” said Bradley.
Bradley said one of the things her team learned from their overtime loss to Mentor was not to take a lead for granted and to keep their poise.
“We were up ten going into the half and we ended up losing the lead,” said Bradley. “We’ve been in a lot of close game situations and we were prepared and kept our calm.”
Feller led all scorers with 19 points. Bradley added 13 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals. Hallie Landies scored 12 points and McCartney added 11 points and five rebounds.
Ochaya led Mentor with 16 points and 15 rebounds.
Harris said his team had a chip on their shoulder heading into the game, as neither Cleveland.com or News-Herald picked them to be contenders at District.
“I love the mentality our kids have,” said Harris.