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GIRLS BASKETBALL STEBBINS 39, FRANKLIN 33
McDaniel's 26 not enough to beat Indians
Franklin coach Frank Russell: 'When we hold a team under 40 points, we've got to win the game.'
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
FRANKLIN — The Franklin High School girls basketball team did everything it could to overcome Stebbins on Monday, Jan. 5, but it just wasn't enough.
The Wildcats never trailed by more than seven points but Stebbins pulled out a 39-33 nonleague victory.
Molly Newhouse helped seal the win by connecting on 5-of-6 free throws in the final period.
"When we were patient and made more than one pass, we did OK," Stebbins coach Jerry Rex said.
When the Indians (2-9) showed that patience, they were able to work the ball inside to Jamonica Orton, a junior who has verbally committed to Mississippi. She finished with 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting and a pair of free throws.
When Orton wasn't open, Jessica Helton was. She tallied 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including one 3-pointer.
Fortunately for Stebbins, the Indians' offense was humming, because the defense couldn't achieve its one goal: stop Brandi McDaniel.
McDaniel had a game-high 26 points on 11-of-21 shooting for the Wildcats (3-7).
"(Stopping her) was what we needed to do, and we had a hard time doing it," Rex said. "She has a nice, soft touch and is a good player."
Franklin had its chances, however, and couldn't get over the hump.
"When we hold a team under 40 points, we've got to win that game," Franklin coach Frank Russell said. "We just have to find more offensive weapons. We've got girls in the program that can do it, but they just need to develop. We are still young with only two seniors."
The Wildcats did grab the lead once at the beginning of the second quarter when McDaniel drained a 3-pointer, but it was short-lived as the Indians' Helton answered back with a trey of her own.
Orton took over from there, scoring eight of her 14 points in the second half.
"Orton is probably the best player we've faced all year," Russell said. "But our effort was there and that's what makes this such a tough loss.
"Our best basketball is still ahead of us," he continued. "Right now, we're just not trusting our abilities. When we do, we'll start winning games like this."
Franklin returns to Southwestern Buckeye League Southwestern Division action when it hosts Eaton on Wednesday.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852
or sweaver@coxohio.com.
