Web posted
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Sixth-ranked Hutchinson routs Ark City girls
|
Photo by Donita Clausen
click image to enlarge
|
By DAVID WOLMAN
Traveler Sports Editor
sports@arkcity.net
HUTCHINSON -- At the very least, Arkansas City can take solace that it doesn't have any regular-season games remaining against an AVCTL Division I opponent.
In three games against Maize, Salina Central and Hutchinson , the Bulldogs lost by an average of 27 points.
And the story line was the same in all three games. Ark City had trouble handling the opposing team's pressure defense and trailed by at least 15 points at halftime.
The same can be said Friday evening against sixth-ranked Hutchinson . The only differences were that the Salthawks burned the Bulldogs with its quick ball rotation and transition game.
Hutchinson forced Ark City into committing 28 turnovers, and Edan Townley (game-high 18 points, six rebounds) and Emile Blakesley (12 points) combined to score 30 points in leading the Salthawks to an easy 56-23 drubbing of the Bulldogs at the Salthawk Activity Center.
"We're not very athletic and it just seems like those three teams are a lot more athletic than us," Ark City coach Bill Stinson said of Maize, Salina Central and Hutchinson . "That's what obviously makes it difficult. We're just not good enough or strong enough to break the pressure."
During a sloppy first quarter in which turnovers (Ark City 9, Hutchinson 7) slowed down both teams' offenses, Ark City somehow managed to stay in the game. Natalie Benton hit a baseline jumper to tie the game at 2 just past the midway point.
Benton finished with eight points and seven rebounds. She scored all five of Ark City 's first-half points and first seven overall.
But the turnovers started to catch up for Ark City (4-12), as Hutchinson went on a 19-0 run and held the Bulldogs off the scoreboard for a span of eight minutes, 24 seconds.
After a Sydney Ramsey three-pointer, Blakesly picked off a bad entry pass by Kasha Hunt on the ensuing possession and converted a layup at the other end.
Whitney Miller gave the Salthawks a 10-2 lead after one quarter with a layup off a quick pass from Kinsley Hilst.
Hutchinson had chances to increase its lead in the first, but committed several ill-advised turnovers.
"We kind of got lucky early because they missed some shots," Stinson said. "Otherwise, we would've been run out a lot earlier."
Benton ended Ark City 's scoreless drought with a free throw just over midway through the second quarter. But by that time, Hutchinson was already ahead 14-3.
And the Salthawks started to pull away.
Hutchinson took away any suspense by halftime, outscoring Ark City 16-3 in the second quarter for a 26-5 lead at intermission.
Whether it was quick transition baskets, quick ball rotation or grabbing a loose rebound, Hutchinson outworked Ark City in every aspect of Friday's game.
The Salthawks continued to pour it on in the second half. They turned four steals into layups, including three in the fourth quarter.
Whitney Miller gave Hutchinson (9-5) its biggest lead, 52-18, with a layup off a Hilst steal midway through the fourth.
"They're just all good basketball players," coach Stinson said. "If you have any loose gaps, they're going to hurt you."
Someone other than Benton finally scored for Ark City early in the second half. Natalie Stinson made a jumper that finally got the Bulldogs into double digits. Stinson finished with eight points and 12 rebounds.
But Hutchinson had already built a 21-point lead.
"They beat us in every aspect of the game," coach Stinson said. "We've just got to try to get better."
Ark City 2 3 7 9 -- 23
Hutchinson 10 16 14 16 -- 56
Ark City -- Benton 8, Stinson 8, Sturd 4, Jordan 2, White 1.
Hutchinson -- Townley 18, Blakesley 12, Lyman 6, Ramsey 6, Miller 6, Hilst 2, Showalter 2, Vieyra 2, Dupree 2.
Above: Arkansas City junior Nikki Jordan, left, tries to keep control of the ball Friday night in Hutchinson.
|
