Winning hand: inspired Aces, Davis rally past Johnstown in opener
JOHNSTOWN ― It was a season opener, not a tournament game, but it felt like so much more for Amanda-Clearcreek senior Grace Davis.
In her first time back since missing last year with an ACL injury, Davis not only hit what proved to be the game-winning shot Wednesday, but scored 12 points, snagged 11 rebounds and had four steals as the visiting Aces rallied for a 43-39 overtime win at revenge-bent Johnstown.
"I'm thankful for my team. I never thought I would make it this far, but I did because of them," Davis said with tears in her eyes after Amanda came back from five down in the final two minutes to force OT. "We were a little nervous there (at the end of regulation), but we settled down and everyone did their job, what we had been working on in practice."
What they had worked on was slowing down Johnnies' senior star Abigail Adkins, and they did just that, holding her to 12 points on four 3-pointers. But it still took clutch plays down the stretch to pull off the victory against a team the Aces had beaten twice last season, including in the second round of the Division III district tourney.
"We hadn't planned on playing them in the first game, but it just worked out that way," said Johnstown coach Scott Helmke. "Everyone knew it would be a battle, and both teams fought, scratched and clawed all the way through. We remembered how good Davis was from two years ago, when she scored 22 in the district semifinals against Pleasant."
The Johnnies held a distinct size advantage with 6-footers Kylie Sharp, Lauren Baughman and Alexis Diehl, not to mention Adkins, a 5-10 guard. And they utilized it in the second half, with Baughman scoring inside for a 38-33 lead and Johnstown then getting the ball back. But between the fourth quarter and overtime, the smaller, but quick and aggressive Aces, forced eight turnovers.
Sophomore point guard Taylor Evans, who led the winners with 16 points, six rebounds and four assists, came up with a clutch steal and layup. After sophomore Kaylie Wilson took a charge, Evans drilled a 3-pointer off a Davis assist to tie it, then A-C regained possession on a held ball before missing a 3 at the end of regulation.
"Our top three scorers hardly came off the floor," Helmke said. "I think maybe they were a little tired, and a couple of times we turned it over there at the end. We had two 6-footers bringing the ball up."
Sharp split a pair of foul shots to open OT for a 39-38 Johnnies' lead, and the Aces, who missed six foul shots in the extra session, then misfired on a pair. But Evans later fed Davis for a 3 from the left wing and a 41-39 edge, then cemented the win by dropping in two free throws with 19.4 seconds left.
"Taylor is a great point guard, has worked hard and earned her spot," Davis said.
Evans also started last year as a freshman.
"I've gotten better at putting the ball in the hands of my teammates more," she said. "I'm really excited for Grace, and really looking forward to the rest of the season."
The Aces used an 11-0 first-quarter run, fueled by 3s from Evans and junior Allyson Leist, to take a 14-10 lead and were up 16-12 in the second when Sharp, at 6-1 one of the Johnnies' best ball handlers, turned a fadeaway into a 3-point play and scored on a drive. Adkins nailed a 3 from the top of the key and Johnstown tied A-C 20-20 at the break.
The Johnnies got the ball inside to Baughman, a sophomore, in the second half, and she responded with eight of her 10 points, including six in a back-and-forth third quarter.
Being the season opener gave A-C time to prepare for the challenge Adkins and the Johnnies presented.
"We played them twice last year at our place, and we knew coming up here it was going to be a battle," coach Tim Leist said. "Adkins is a great player and they are a very good team. Keeping her under 15 was the goal. We rotated Hailey Sowers, Allyson Leist and Addy Pugh on her and hoped to wear her down. Number 34 (Sharp) stepped up for them."
Evans said the Aces worked for a week and a half on their game plan.
"How to double her (Adkins), and knowing what to do on ball screens, which they use a lot," she said.
Added Davis: "Just try to limit her. We knew we weren't going to shut her down completely."
The Aces overcame 28% shooting (15 of 53), 7-of-15 foul shooting and being outrebounded 33-26 by forcing 18 turnovers. They committed only eight.
Sharp scored 12 points to go with 10 rebounds, Baughman added nine boards and Adkins six for the Johnnies, 13 of 33 from the floor for 39% and 9 of 15 at the line in the defensive struggle.
Johnstown was without one of its top ball handlers, away on vacation, but Helmke was not using it as an excuse.
"I'm very proud of our effort, and how hard we played and competed," he said. "With our size, that was the first time we had played zone in like two years, and we hadn't really used it in our scrimmages, so that was something to learn from. We played two freshmen, and I was real pleased with the support our bench gave us. We did a lot of good things, and saw what we need to work on. This loss will help us down the road."
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Winning hand: inspired Aces, Davis rally past Johnstown in opener
