By Cort Reynolds
HARROD__Despite fatigue from a busy schedule, the Allen East girls basketball team smothered visiting Leipsic 39-14 with suffocating defense in a Northwest Conference contest Thursday night at Harrod.
The Mustang girls were playing their third game in four days, yet their defense was energetic and tenacious. AE outscored the Vikings 25-1 over the middle quarters, and held the completely stymied visitors without a basket for over 19 minutes.
“I am really proud of our defense,” said Mustang head coach Aaron Mongomery. “It wasn’t pretty on offense, but we knew the legs might not be there. I told the girls before the game just to fight through the tired and pain, and they did.”
Speedy AE junior guard Rilynn Jones led the way with 13 points while playing the passing lanes well.
The Mustang girls improved to 14-2 overall and 3-2 in the NWC with their sixth consecutive victory. Meanwhile, the Lady Vikings dropped to 8-8 and 1-5 in the NWC with the lopsided loss.
“We wanted to get to the basket, get out on the break and force the tempo,” said Montgomery. “The game was not what we expected, but we will definitely take it. Leipsic is a very physical team.”
Senior Savana Brooks started the scoring by drilling a left corner trey 42 seconds into the fray. Viking post Jazelle Perez hit a short banker at the 4:40 mark to pull within a point in the defensive battle.
But that was as close as Leipsic would get the rest of the way.
Senior post Soraya Jackson scored inside off a nice drive-and-dish feed from Jones to start a 6-0 run. After AE hit two of four foul shots, Brooks scored on a weakside putback to provide a 9-2 lead at the 1:13 juncture.
A Perez layup stopped the mini-spurt 14 seconds later. Jones made a free toss to give the hosts a 10-5 lead after the opening stanza.
Jones swiped the ball and converted a coast-to-coast layup to start the second period. Jackson scored a basket inside, and later added a free throw for a 15-5 lead.
Jones then anticipated well, stole a pass and raced downcourt to finish a three-point drive 6:15 before halftime. Perez split two charity stripers.
AE then had a good possession with patient passing against the Leipsic triangle and two zone that concluded with Rylie Jordan sinking a 10-foot bank shot in the lane.
Jones canned a left side 11-footer with 1:10 left in the half to give AE a 22-6 cushion at intermission.
Mustang junior Dylan Miller splashed a triple from the left wing to open the third quarter.
Senior guard Aubrey Young swished a left baseline 16-footer midway through the period. Jones stole the ball again and finished a left-handed layup to prompt a Viking timeout at the 2:57 mark.
Post Taylor Nickles sank a stickback shot for a 31-6 lead, then Jones sped upcourt and muscled in a transition layup at the 1:30 mark. Brooks followed with a left baseline layin.
AE led 35-6 after three periods of play, having held Leipsic without a basket since the 59-second juncture of the first period. The Vikings did not make a single basket in the middle two quarters as they were outscored 25-1.
Jones split two foul shots early in the fourth quarter.
Leah Kirkendall ended the 12-minute Leipsic scoreless drought by splitting two foul shots at the 6:58 mark. Skylar Fausey sank a free throw to make it 36-8.
Kirkendall completed a short three-point banker at the 5:10 juncture to net the first Viking basket since late in the initial quarter. Ava Henry canned a field goal, and Kirkendall split two free throws to make it 36-14.
Mustang reserve Lydia Payne sank a follow shot with three minutes left and added a foul shot to close the scoring and cap a three-win week.
Jones scored 13 points and made four steals. Brooks added eight markers, six in the first period.
Perez and Kirkendall each scored five points to pace cold-shooting Leipsic.
AE canned 13 deuces and nailed a pair of treys. The Mustangs converted just seven of 17 foul shots (41 percent).
Leipsic connected on just four two-point goals and hit no triples. The Viking girls converted six of 12 free throws (50 percent).
Delphos Jefferson (14-2, 4-1 NWC) lost their showdown battle for first place in the NWC at Crestview 52-41 Thursday night. The Lady Knights improved to 5-1 in NWC play to move into a tie for first with Columbus Grove.
After their busy stretch, the Mustangs don’t play for a week until they visit solid Lincolnview (10-7) Thursday, February 1. AE must win to keep its faint hopes alive for a share of the NWC title.
Lincolnview is now tied with Delphos Jeff at 4-1 in the NWC after winning 47-40 at Bluffton Thursday. AE is 3-2 in the tightly-bunched and highly competitive NWC standings.
AE 39 (14-2, 3-2 NWC)
Crumrine 0 0-0 0, Jordan 1 0-0 2, Payne 1 1-4 3, Brooks 3 1-2 8, Jones 5 3-5 13, Young 1 0-0 2, Richardson 0 1-2 1, Jackson 2 1-2 5, E. Miller 0 0-0 0, D. Miller 1 0-0 3, Nickles 1 0-2 2.
Totals: 13-2/7-17/39. 3-pointers: Brooks 1, D. Miller 1
Leipsic 14 (8-8, 1-5 NWC)
Stuber 0 1-2 1, Fausey 0 1-2 1, Kirkendall 1 3-5 5, Cunningham 0 0-0 0, Henry 1 0-0 2, Schroeder 0 0-0 0, Perez 2 1-3 5.
Totals: 4-0/6-12/14. 3-pointers: none.
1 2 3 4 F
Leip 5 1 0 8 14
AE 10 12 13 4 39
JV: AE 43, Leipsic 11.
AE beat visiting WBL foe Celina 62-35 this past Monday as Brooks scored 22 points.
On Tuesday, the Mustang girls went to Defiance and defeated an 8-6 Tinora squad, 56-38. Jones scored 20 points, and Brooks netted 14. Jackson tallied 10 markers, while Dylan Miller added eight.
AE’s last loss came at Delphos Jefferson January 4, 57-41.
Jones has scored 248 points (15.5 ppg) this season, with Brooks having tallied 237 (14.8 ppg). Brooks tops the team in FT percentage and assists, while Jones leads AE in steals with 57 (3.6 spg).
