POST PLAYER … Bryan’s McKendry Semer powers up a shot on the interior in the first half at Archbold. (PHOTOS BY RICH HARDING, STAFF)
By: Nate Calvin
ARCHBOLD, OHIO-A hot start for Archbold staked them to a 17-9 lead after one quarter before Bryan cranked up the defense and pounded the boards to rally for a 45-34 win at The Thunderdome.
Archbold ripped off eight straight points to start the game as Karsyn Hostetler hit a triple, Addison Moyer added a bucket and Addi Zeigler had a conventional three-point play after a Bryan turnover to make it 8-0.
Shallyn Miley got Bryan’s first basket of the game and Addie Arnold would drain the first of her three shots from beyond the arc to make it a 9-5 game.
Archbold closed the quarter with an 8-4 spurt ending with back-to-back treys from Hostetler and Harley Phillips to give the Bluestreaks a 17-9 lead after the first eight minutes.
The second quarter opened with a 7-0 run from Bryan as Arnold hit two free throws, Miley added a field goal, and Allie Zimmerman connected on a three-pointer to quickly trim the Archbold lead to 17-16.
Leah McQuade stopped the Bryan scoring run with Archbold’s only points of the second quarter before Miley had six straight points and Delilah Taylor ended the half with a jumper to give the Bears a 24-19 lead at halftime.
Bryan owned the boards in the second quarter as they outrebounded Archbold 9-1 in the quarter, including seven offensive rebounds and were 6/12 shooting.
The Bears finished the game with a 26-16 rebounding edge as their size was too much for the Bluestreaks.
After going 6/9 from the field in the first quarter with three triples, Archbold was just 1/8 in the second quarter to finish the first half 7/17 (41%).
Brooke Lamberson and Arnold hit shots for the Bears to start the second half, Arnold’s being a triple, to push the lead to 29-19 and forcing a timeout by Archbold with 5:40 left in the quarter.
Bryan (16-3, 5-0 in NWOAL) increased their lead to 34-22 after three quarters as Lamberson nailed a three-pointer and Miley added a field goal.
Archbold’s offensive struggles continued in the third as they went 1/6 shooting with six more turnovers.
The Bluestreaks stayed within striking distance in the fourth as Sophie Rupp would hit a three and Kylie Sauder had two buckets to make it 39-30 Bryan with 2:04 remaining.
Bryan was solid at the foul line down the stretch to end the game with Lamberson going 2/2, Zimmerman went 4/4, and McKendry Semer was 3/4 to help the Bears wrap up the win.
Bryan was 9/11 at the stripe in the final stanza and went 12/15 on the night.
Bryan finished the game 14/34 (41%) shooting with five three-pointers while Archbold was 12/32 (37%) overall but were just 4/19 (21%) from long range and committed 21 turnovers on the night.
Miley posted a double-double for Bryan with 14 points, 13 rebounds and Arnold had 11 points on the night. Hostetler and Sauder led Archbold (9-9, 2-3) with eight points each.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Bryan 9 15 10 11 45
Archbold 17 2 3 12 34
Nate can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com