Cubs advance to semifinals with big win

The Franklin girls basketball team had two gears Tuesday night — slow and fast.

The host Grizzly Cubs overcame a slow start to beat Edinburgh 66-27 in a first-round game of the annual Johnson County Girls Basketball Tournament.

Franklin now takes on Greenwood (2-0) in the 6 p.m. first semifinal Friday at Whiteland. Defending champion Center

Grove (2-0) faces the host Warriors (1-1) in the nightcap.

Franklin’s start irked coach Walt Raines, but it was only temporary, as the Cubs eventually began to

hit stride.

“We have to work the ball under the basket and not fall in love with the 3-point shot,” Raines said. “We needed to play disciplined, and

we didn’t do that, and that was a little frustrating.”

The frustration disappeared in a matter of minutes as the Cubs kick-started their defense and began being more patient with

the basketball.

It paid dividends as the Cubs’ lead swelled from 3-2 to 10-2 and eventually 16-4 at the end of the first quarter.

More of the same allowed Franklin to more than double the lead. That and the 3-point shots Raines said his team loves to take started falling.

Sophomore guard Delanie Hill sank two consecutive triples, which pretty much took Edinburgh out of any chance to pull the upset.

“The girls learned that defense will create offense,” Raines said. “That got us going, and I felt that halfway through the first quarter is when we really got better and played smarter.”

Edinburgh was not only bothered by the defense — the Lancers turned the ball over 11 times in the first quarter alone — but it seemed as though it lacked the confidence to shoot even open shots.

“We need the confidence and players who can score,” Edinburgh coach Amy Macy said. “(Franklin’s) defense was a man-to-man pressure, and they were in your face, but we didn’t attack back.”

Franklin’s defense was so stifling that for the second time in three games the Cubs kept an opponent from scoring in double figures in all four quarters.

Also hurting Edinburgh was a lack of rebounds. Franklin enjoyed a 26-15 advantage.

Franklin (2-1) spread the scoring around, with all 11 players who suited up for the Cubs scoring at least two points. Hill’s 12 points led the way.

Edinburgh was led by sophomore Allie Schooler, who had a game-high 17 points.

For the Lancers, who dropped to 0-3 on the young season, all was not lost, as Raines said he was impressed by their play.

“They executed well and will do better as the season progresses,” he said. “Amy does a nice job.”

Macy is happy with how the Lancers have improved, but scoring is the problem. The Lancers tallied 27 points in their opener and 35 in a loss at Brown County last week.

“We talk about each girl getting 10 points,” Macy said. “That would be 50 points for us, but we have to be more physical and need confidence. Still, we played hard.”