Web posted
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Defense carries Dexter girls in regular season finale
By MIKE JOSEPH
Traveler Correspondent
DEXTER -- In their final tune-up before regionals, the Dexter Lady Fighting Cardinals took advantage of 10 first half turnovers in building a double digit lead on their way to a 57-45 win over the Oxford Lady Wildcats Friday night.
On Senior Night, Amanda Defore and Camille Kahrs scored 13 of Dexter's 16 first quarter points as the Cardinals led 16-10 heading into the second period.
Freshman Alexis Hafenstein sparked a 6-2 Dexter run to start the second quarter. Hafenstein scored five points, including a three-point play after being fouled inside with 5:24 left in the half giving the Cardinals a 22-12 lead. Dexter pushed the lead to 29-14 at the 2:45 mark with Defore scoring a pair of baskets in the paint.
Dexter led 36-20 before Kacee Carson scored a three-pointer at the buzzer for the Wildcats. Carson scored 11 points in the half to pace Oxford. Dexter held a huge advantage at the free-throw line, hitting 12-of-23 for the half while the Wildcats were 0-for-1.
Neither team could get much going in the third period. Dexter held a 43-29 lead heading into the final quarter. Kahrs scored eight of her 17 points in the final period as Dexter built a 50-31 lead with 5:41 left in regulation.
Oxford rallied with a 10-3 run after Dexter coach Debbie Callison inserted her reserves.
Carson scored eight of her game-high 23 points in the period for the Wildcats. With the lead at 53-41 and 2:31 remaining, Callison put her starters back in to finish out the contest.
"Once again, we were good defensively, especially our press," said Callison. "I thought we did a good job scoring in our transition game and secondary breaks. We struggled a little in our half-court sets and we will have to work on that."
Defore led the way for the Cardinals with 18 points while Kahrs grabbed nine boards to lead Dexter.
The Cardinals finish the regular season 18-2, their only two losses to Argonia, and will head into the regionals with a first round bye and play in the semi-finals next Friday at home.
"We told the girls they have to come hungry because this is a very competitive regional and nothing is going to be handed to us," said Callison. "I am very proud of the way they have played all year but we still have work ahead of us."
OXFORD 10 13 6 16 -- 45
DEXTER 16 20 7 14 -- 57
Oxford -- Carson 23, Norris 8, D. Swanson 5, Metz 4, M. Swanson 4, White 1.
Dexter -- Defore 18, Kahrs 17, Hafenstein 9, Crow 6, Lawrence 4, Fanning 2, Kill 1.
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