Morgan Baumer attacks the rim in the fourth quarter for two of her 12 points in St. Henry’s Monday win over Waynesville. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
St. Henry never trailed, and rode a balanced effort to remain unbeaten in Monday’s Versailles Tiger Classic, taking down an impressive Waynesville team, 54-42.
Versailles, OH – Nate Uhlenhake’s unbeaten St. Henry Redskins rolled on Monday afternoon, beating an impressive Waynesville team out of the Southwest Buckeye League, 54-42.
As per their custom now through 14 games, the Lady ‘Skins were energetic, aggressive on defense, creating turnovers, scoring in transition off those turnovers. And at critical times when Waynesville made their runs in the second half, they showed the correct basketball instinct to do what they do best…share the basketball and stay with the plan that would eventually render them a 12-point win.
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“I was proud of the girls for fighting through for four quarters today,” said Uhlenhake, commenting on as complete an effort as you could ask for against a quality opponent.
“It took everyone,” he added. “And everyone stepped up at different times. We have multiple leaders on this team, and they were able to contribute. And when we needed them the most. It got tight a couple of times and we were able to figure out a way to go make a play.”
Every word of it true.
The now 14-0 Redskins never trailed, but Waynesville (11-3) challenged them, never trailing, themselves, by more than single digits until the last three minutes of the game. The Spartans’ Katie Berrey scored 12, and teammate Kloe Frankenberg added 10, but their combined 22 points was not nearly enough to withstand a St. Henry defensive effort that created 16 turnovers and 22 points in transition – nearly half the Skins’ total of 54 in the game.
It would be too easy to describe it as simply running up and down the court, but in reality…the style of play, and the energy was the difference in the game.
Senior Alexis Buschur and teammate Molly Wendel led all scorers with 14, Morgan Baumer scored 12, and Karless Buschur chipped in 11…but it was all facilitated in large part by the play of point guard Morgan Baumer, who added with 5 assists, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals…as complete an effort as you can ask for, and certainly the example of Uhlenhake’s comment about multiple leaders making plays when they were needed most.
Molly Wendel got off to a good start for St. Henry…scoring 8 of her 14 points in the first half.
St. Henry led 18-13 at the end of the first quarter, and 29-23 at the end of the first half. And they got off to their positive start through turnovers and points in transition…scoring on their first three possessions before Waynesville could get on the board.
“I give a lot of credit to our team,” said Baumer, afterwards. “It was a big team win over a good opponent, and we shared the ball very well today. Molly stepped up big-time today. And Alexis is a ball of energy on defense and that just flipped things so quickly. It gave me a lot of energy to play even harder. Our goal is to get out and run, first, and then set up the half-court offense. Our pressure on defense was the difference.”
Still however, Waynesville was able to keep the St. Henry lead within striking defense, trailing by six to eight points for most of the first eighteen minutes.
But a six point run during the opening action of the second half suddenly reeled the Redskins back into range. Waynesville, with Berrey and Franenberg both hitting three-pointers, suddenly shrunk the lead to two by the end of the third quarter.
Baumer, Buschur and Wendel went right back to work at the start of the fourth. A steal by Baumer, a basket by Baumer and Wendel, and a pair of free throws by Alexis Buschur, immediately pushed the lead back to eight, and two more Buschur free throws completed a 10-0 run that eliminated the threat and salted away the win.
St. Henry’s Karlee Buschur cans a first quarter three in the ‘Skins Monday win over Waynesville.
The Redskins would outscore Waynesville 15-5 over the final eight minutes for the 54-42 win.
“The girls on the court said they were going to go pressure,” added Uhlenhake, talking about the final eight minutes. “I said, ‘Let’s go’, and that’s what they did. We just did what we wanted to do as a group, and it worked. It was a good team win.”
An impressive team win, given the quality of competition. Waynesville has size, skill. and experience, and has dominated in the Southwest Buckeye League standings at 9-0 in league play.
Which added credence to Morgan Baumer’s words about about sharing the ball and the responsibility when it mattered – a quality team win against a quality team on the busiest Monday of the season.
They were challenged, they answered with their defense, and they had four players in double figures.
And best outside of basketball…a day off school.
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