Hamilton Township 39, Amanda-Clearcreek 34
AMANDA — Amanda-Clearcreek had a hot start to the second half but wasn’t able to sustain the momentum as Hamilton Township went home with a 39-34 win Monday afternoon.
“We’re just in a funk right now. It started last week against Heath, a game we just barely pulled out. Then Fairfield (Union) came in here and smoked us on Friday,” AC coach Tim Leist said. “We won an ugly game on Saturday over Waverly. So, this game had me really nervous.”
Trailing 17-15 to start the second half, the Aces scored the first 10 points of the third in the opening three minutes to go up 25-17.
But HT responded with the next nine points to get back up by a point.
The teams traded the lead a couple of times before the Rangers scored the last five points to hold a 33-29 entering the final period.
“Individuals go through funks and team go through funks and right now we’re just in a funk and we just could not sustain that energy coming out of the third quarter,” Leist said. “I’ve got to figure it out because this is still a good basketball team with the potential, I think, to be great but right now we’re just in that funk.
“It’s very discouraging.”
Playing with the lead, HT was able to slow the game a bit in the final period.
A three from AC’s Allie Leist closed the gap to 36-34 with 2:20 left, but the Aces were unable to convert another basket, and the Rangers hit enough free throws to complete the win.
“Once they got hot there in the third quarter after they withstood our run, then we just could never get that rhythm back offensively,” coach Leist said.
Kaylie Wilson led the Aces with 12 points and Taylor Evans had nine.
Jael Haynes-Lee led HT with a dozen and Alexis Wooten had 11.
Each team pulled down 30 rebounds.
Haynes-Lee had 10 with Wooten grabbing six for HT.
Evans led the Aces with nine rebounds and Hayden Plank had six.
After scoring 50 or more points in seven of their first 10 games, the Aces haven’t hit that mark in their last six contests.
“Even the Hartley game that we won, which was a big win for us coming out of the new year, we only scored 43 points,” Leist said. “Logan Elm is going to come in here tomorrow night playing with a lot of confidence and we’re going to have to somehow figure things out.
“That’s what we told the girls is to stick with it, you haven’t won 11 games by accident — you’re still a good basketball team.”
Amanda-Clearcreek (11-5) is slated to host Logan Elm Tuesday night.
Hamilton Township 39, Amanda-Clearcreek 34
Hamilton Township — Juliana McLaughlin 1-0-2, Jael Haynes-Lee 5-1-12, Alexis Wooten 3-3-11, Jersey Baker 2-2-7, Myke-kila Dean 3-1-7. Three-point goals — Haynes-Lee, Wooten (2), Baker. Totals — 14-40 7-16 39.
Amanda-Clearcreek — Hayden Plank 1-0-2, Allie Leist 1-0-3, Gavyn Sowers 3-0-6, Taylor Evans 4-0-9, Kaylie Wilson 5-0-12, Abbie Leist 0-1-1. Three-point goals — Al Leist, Evans, Wilson (2). Totals — 14-45 2-2 34.
Quarter scores 1 2 3 4 F
Hamilton Township 8 9 16 6 39
Amanda-Clearcreek 6 9 14 5 34