Hoping to end its four-game losing streak, the Center Grove girls basketball team was inspired Tuesday night.
Able to knock down a total of 15 3-pointers and place 10 players in the scoring column, the Trojans cruised to a 81-27 triumph at Greenwood.
“I’ve been coaching a long time, and that’s as well as I’ve ever had a team play. I mean, every aspect of the game we were on all cylinders,” Center Grove coach Shawn Sanders said after his squad improved to 14-7. “We were making shots, but the thing for us is sharing the ball.
“It was fun to watch, and it was fun to be a part of. Individually, I thought Allison Utterback came out and set the tone. She had a couple steals early and got everybody energized. I was really proud in every phase of the game.”
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryUtterback, a 5-foot-8 senior guard, led all scorers with 20 points. Junior guard Cassidy Hardin dropped five treys en route to 17 points, while junior Amy Davis came off the bench to score nine.
All 10 Trojans players scored at least four points.
Greenwood, which is now 4-18, was led by junior forward Leah Moore with 10 points and a game-high seven rebounds.
While Sanders’ team thrived behind the 3-point stripe, the Woodmen were able to knock down only three of 18 tries. Greenwood shot 10 of 36 from the field (.278) while committing 22 turnovers.
The Woodmen recently snapped a 13-game losing skid with a home victory over Decatur Central. However, they weren’t up to the task defensively against Center Grove.
“(Three-pointers) are easy when they have as much time as they would on a foul shot. To look at the label, spin it and then shoot it,” Woodmen coach Lee Taft said. “It comes down to we chose not to compete tonight.
“We knew coming in they are a better team than us. But we just didn’t compete. Our kids still don’t understand what competition is. You compete on passes, you compete on drills, you compete on defense, you compete after a loose ball. We don’t understand that and that’s what happens.”
Thirteen of Utterback’s points came during a 28-0 scoring run the Trojans put together from 2:58 of the opening quarter to late in the second.
She delivered three 3-pointers during the flurry and ended it with a layup making it a 37-9 ballgame. Woodmen reserve guard Sarah DeCastro’s triple from the right wing 51.2 seconds before halftime gave Greenwood its first points since 3:30 of the first stanza.
Tuesday’s game was the final regular-season contest for the Woodmen. Center Grove plays Friday night at Lawrence North.
