Reynoldsburg guards Yamonie Jenkins, Adesuwa Aideyman and Aliyah Zantt combined for 36 points. Jenkins topped the team with 16 points.
“We have some extremely quick guards,” Reynoldsburg coach Jack Purtell said. “Our school’s girls track team has won the Division I state track and field championship the past two years, and our guards were members of those teams. As young as we are, our defense played a pretty big key for us tonight.”
Purtell started a freshman, three sophomores and his lone senior (Zantt) against Madison.
“We just turned the ball over way too much,” Mohawks coach John Rossi said. “We played a good basketball team that was extremely quick. I felt our defense was good, but when you give up 20-24 points in transition, it’s tough. Any time you’re going against a team that’s that athletic, you’ve really got to value the basketball.
“You’ve go to give them credit for that. They took some things away from us and didn’t allow us to get into our offense today.”
The Mohawks (0-1) jumped out front 3-0 on a Brittany Shields 3-pointer. An Ally Malott free throw put Madison ahead 6-5 with 2:38 left to play in the opening quarter, but that was the last time the Mohawks held the lead.
Reynoldsburg outscored Madison 15-11 to close out the first half. A 10-2 Raider run to start the third quarter put the game out of reach at 31-18.
Malott scored 12 of her 21 points from the free-throw line. Shields and Rachel Blevins added six points each. The rest of the Mohawks combined for seven points.
Purtell said he could tell a difference in the Mohawks’ play since the two teams last played each other three years ago in the Classic in the Country tournament.
“We played them when Ally (Malott) was a sophomore, and I think it came down to speed in that game, too,” Purtell said. “John’s brought that team a long way since we played them last. Whenever they play in the Columbus area, we usually let Madison practice at our place. I have a lot of respect for their program and what John’s done over there.”
In the junior varsity tourney, Madison defeated Reynoldsburg 32-25 and will play host Fairmont in today’s 3:30 p.m. final.
The Mohawk varsity will play Dayton Thurgood Marshall at 6 p.m. in the consolation game.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2851 or jbombatch@coxohio.com.
About the Author