by JOHN HOWLEY / sportingpumpkin.com
OBETZ — While most teams have yet to officially play a game, Amanda-Clearcreek already has two hard-fought wins under its belt as the Aces held off a challenge from Hamilton Township for a 51-45 win.
“I knew coming up here was going to be tough. This is always a tough place to play for us – we lost up here last year,” AC coach Tim Leist said. “It was a great effort where two games in-a-row we battled back. Wednesday night we were down three with three minutes to go and tonight we were down four or five.
“It’s a great way to start the season with two tough road wins against two solid teams.”
After the Aces got out on top 15-12 after the first quarter, the Rangers hit four of their first five shots to start the second (including three three-pointers) and finished the half with a 30-26 advantage.
After hitting 10 of their 20 shots in the first half, the Rangers cooled a bit in the third hitting four of 10 but held on for a 40-39 advantage entering the final period.
AC converted the first two scores of the fourth and led 45-42 three minutes into the final period.
HT’s shooting went ice-cold in the fourth as the Rangers were 1-7 from the field over the first five minutes and 1-10 overall.
Holding onto their three-point lead, the Aces took two minutes off the clock before HT committed a couple quick fouls to send AC to the line for free throws with one minute on the clock.
“Normally I don’t play not to lose but this was working, and we’ve got one of the best point guards in the area,” Leist said. “Taylor is just going to hold on to the ball and they’ve got to come out and foul her.”
The first couple trips to the line yielded only one point in four tries, but Taylor Evans closed out the final 30 second converting five of six to hold on to the win.
After scoring 15 points in the first half, Evans was held scoreless until going to the line with a minute left and finished with a team-best 21 points.
Hailey Sowers had 11 points and Kaylie Wilson had 10.
The Rangers were led by Jael Haynes-Lee who had a game-high 23 points.
AC had a 33-27 rebounding edge led by Grace Davis with 11 and Rachel Weaver with 10.
Haynes-Lee led HT with nine.
Week two of the season doesn’t get any easier as the Aces have a quick turn-around to host Watkins Memorial on Tuesday and then Circleville Friday.
Amanda-Clearcreek 51, Hamilton Township 45
Amanda-Clearcreek — Grace Davis 3-0-6, Rachel Weaver 1-1-3, Hailey Sowers 5-0-11, Taylor Evans 5-11-21, Kaylie Wilson 4-0-10. Three-point goals — Sowers, Wilson (2). Total — 18-50 12-17 51.
Hamilton Township — Jael Haynes-Lee 6-7-23, Logan Baker 2-0-5, Alexis Wooten 2-0-6, Jersey Baker 2-0-5, Faith Moore 1-0-2, Kiki Dean 2-0-4. Three-point goals — Haynes-Lee (4), L Baker, Wooten (2), J Baker. Total — 15-40 7-9 45.
Quarter scores 1 2 3 4 F
Amanda-Clearcreek 15 11 13 12 51
Hamilton Township 12 18 10 5 45
