Lauren Decker is hip, Wadsworth girls basketball squares up final with Olmsted Falls
ELYRIA – For the better part of two months, Wadsworth High School's Lauren Decker had to sit on the sideline with little do to but cheer on the Grizzlies girls basketball team.
Back in the lineup and with unbridled determination, the 5-foot-9 sophomore is the reason 15th-seeded Wadsworth beat 21st-seeded Brecksville 53-50 in overtime on Tuesday.
Up next is a Division I, Northeast 6 district final with 2023 state runner-up and No. 3 seed Olmsted Falls, which beat No. 22 Brunswick 51-26.
That game is Friday at Elyria Catholic, but the Grizzlies (19-6) wouldn’t be there without Decker taking care of the Bees (17-7).
“Well, the one thing about Lauren Decker, and I've known this for a long time, ever since I've seen her play when she was in biddy leagues, is she's competitor and she hates to lose,” Wadsworth coach Andrew Booth said. “She hates to lose more than she loves to win, which is kind of the way I believe things should be.
“Before (last week’s sectional final), she had not played since December 20. That was over two months. And for her to come in and put on this fight that she did with no cardio, just the willingness, it's one of the gutsiest performances I've ever seen.”
With the hip all squared away, Lauren Decker has lifted Wadsworth
The left hip injury allowed Decker to move side-to-side and jump, but when she tried to run …
Zero.
Back at 100%, Decker willed her team in the rubber match against Brecksville and in scoring a game-high 25 points.
In her two postseason games she is averaging 17.5 points and has been the sparkplug the squad has needed down the stretch.
“She’s been the change of pace we needed,” said teammate Ana Pinkerton, who scored nine points and added a team-high three assists. “She's always scored the most on the team, so without her it's really hurt us, obviously on the offensive end, but especially for defense. It for sure, lifts everyone up. I mean, it makes me want to go even harder to just try to keep up with her.”
When Wadsworth needed Decker, the wing answered. Brecksville pushed out to an eight-point lead after the first quarter, but Decker scored 10 points during a 17-6 run in the second quarter to give the Grizzlies a three-point edge at the break.
When the Bees pushed in the fourth quarter, Decker scored seven of Wadsworth’s 12 fourth-quarter points to take the game to overtime.
“I really wanted to be back out there,” Decker said. “It was hard sitting there instead of playing, but I mean I got to cheer on my teammates. I liked seeing the game from that perspective. I was in the trainer’s room every single day, working to get better, so I could get back for these games. I knew they were going to be important. I feel free. It doesn’t hurt anymore, I just missed it. Everything is coming together.”
Wadsworth advances to play 2023 OHSAA runner-up Olmsted Falls in district final
As if her four quarter heroics weren’t enough, Decker showed up in the extra session as well.
Wadsworth clinged to a 52-50 lead. Brecksvillle’s Emily Melcher launched a three with 9.4 seconds left that drew iron. Decker grabbed the board, split free throws on the other end and the Grizzlies survived a 3-point attempt by Lexi Ganley to advance.
“When you have a kid like that out there leading, you don’t need to say a word,” Booth said. “The other kids just thrive on it. They pick up on that. They try to match that energy, and if they get close to that energy, we're a much different team.”
That team will come back to Elyria Catholic to face an Olmsted Falls team boasting three straight district titles and one that was one win away from taking home the biggest prize in Division I a year ago.
As Booth and Co. see it, all the pressure is on the Bulldogs and Youngstown State commit Danielle Cameron.
“We've got to play probably above average on defense,” Booth said. “They’re so skilled on the offensive side of the ball. They've got so many weapons and the way they move and pass the ball. They can shoot the 3.
“We've got to be on point of the defensive end. If we're not, we're going to be in trouble. I don't think we're going to outscore them, so we've got to do a great job on the defensive end.”
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Lauren Decker wills Wadsworth girls basketball to OHSAA district final
