Pleasant retains shot at division share

DELAWARE - Pleasant kept its hopes alive for a Mid Ohio Athletic Conference Red Division co-championship.

The Lady Spartans moved to 19-1 overall and 12-1 in the MOAC with a 50-32 win at Buckeye Valley on Saturday night. While Pleasant was notching the win, North Union defeated Marion Harding to claim a stake to at least a share of the title. The Lady Cats finished the MOAC season with a 13-1 mark in the Red Division.

Pleasant has one Red Division game left, and that is a home date with Galion on Saturday night.

“We knew we had to come out and play well if we wanted to keep the chance alive to share the title,” said Pleasant coach Nate Dendinger.

The Lady Spartans, ranked eighth in the Associated Press Division III poll, came out very focused and took control of the game early.

“We played very well on defense and that helped us to some easy transition baskets,” Dendinger said.

The Lady Spartans came out strong in the first half on both offense and defense. Pleasant hit 11 of 23 from the field and 10 of 16 from the foul line in the first half to ease out to a 33-13 lead at the intermission.

The Pleasant defense put the clamps on early, allowing the Lady Barons to hit just 5 of 22 from the field in the opening half. The Lady Spartans kept Buckeye Valley out of the scoring column for the final 4:24 of the first half.

Summer Blevins had a hand in the first 10 points of the night for Pleasant with four baskets and an assist. She finished the first half with 16 points. Kamryn Kimmel added eight in the first 16 minutes.

After Logan Hatcher scored as basket for the Lady Barons (11-8, 8-5) to open the third period, Kamryn Kimmel and Jaden Mauk each hit three-point hoops for the Lady Spartans to push the visitors to a 24-point lead. Pleasant carried a 42-22 lead into the final period.

Buckeye Valley went to the foul line early in the fourth period and hit 6 of 9 in the first 2:29 of the final stanza to close the margin to 16, but that is as close as the Lady Barons would get.

Dendinger said his team did a good job of keeping its focus during the second half.

“We won’t be able to get those kind of transition baskets in the tournament games. We had to come out and really concentrate on our quarter-court offense and we did a good job of that,” he said.

Blevins led all scorers with 18, while Kimmel added 12. Kimmel paced the Lady Spartans with eight rebounds and Pleasant had a 38-25 edge off the glass.

Hatcher had 11 points for BV.

The reserve game went to the Lady Spartans by a 45-35 count. Ericka Linder topped the Pleasant scorers with 18 points. Hannah Cowen tossed in 11 for the Lady Barons.

Stat book

Pleasant 17-40 FG, 13-21 FT, 3-10 3pt. (Kimmel 2, Mauk), 38 rebounds (Kimmel 8), 22 turnovers. Scoring: Peltier 2, Blevins 18, Anderson 2, Verity 2, Kimmel 12, Maniaci 5, Linder 4, Mauk 5. Buckeye Valley: 9-40 FG, 12-25 FT, 2-12 3pt. (Scowden, Radcliffe), 25 rebounds (Hatcher 5), 19 turnovers. Scoring: G. Legg 2, Veneman 2, Scowden 6, Lisa Leienberger 1, Radcliffe 8, Joann Leienberger 1, Shearer 1, Hatcher 11.