You are here: Home » High School » Auburn Hills Avondale » Third time the charm for Springfield Christian as Eagles soar past Lake Orion Baptist

Third time the charm for Springfield Christian as Eagles soar past Lake Orion Baptist

Dan Stickradt | February 23, 2011 | Comments (2)

THAT'S MINE: Clarkston Springfield Christian sophomore Megan Kaster grabbed a career-high 22 rebounds in the Eagles' 44-37 upset of Lake Orion Baptist during Tuesday's MACS Division I sectionals. Staff Photo | Larry McKee. For a photo gallery, please visit www.lmckeephotography.com

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

CLARKSTON — As the old adage goes, beating a team three times in one season is never an easy task.

Clarkston Springfield Christian made sure of that Tuesday evening in the first round of the Michigan Association of Christian School Division I girls basketball sectionals.

The Eagles, despite only two wins during the regular season, defeated a team that swept them in the regular season. Springfield Christian overcame a 13-4 hole after the first quarter, outscoring visiting Lake Orion Baptist 25-11 during the middle two quarters and holding on for a 44-37 triumph.

The Eagles (3-12) will advance to the sectional finals Thursday, where they will host top-ranked Rochester Hills Christian (22-1) at 6 p.m. Lake Orion Baptist bows out of the postseason with a 5-9 record.

FINALLY: Clarkston Springfield Christian's Arrin Jones celebrates her team's 44-37 triumph over Lake Orion Baptist during Tuesday's MACS Division I sectionals. Staff Photo | Larry McKee. To veiw a photo gallery of this event, visit www.lmckeephotography.com

Springfield Christian dominated on the glass, hammering the Lions with a 54-34 edge in rebounding, which helped the Eagles kick it out and score in transition. The Eagles also held Lake Orion Baptist to a paltry 15-for-61 shooting performance (24.6 percent) from the floor, including just 5-of-22 from beyond the three-point arc (23 percent).

“We are a better team than last year, but we only won a couple of games in the (regular) season,” admitted Springfield coach James Day. “We don’t have a lot of jump-shooters, but the girls do rebound well and play hard. They are coming around.”

The visiting Lions, without the services of 6-foot-1 freshman center Breanne Watterworth, who was lost in late January due to a broken wrist, still had enough firepower to stay within striking distance of the Eagles. Lake Orion Baptist just could not get shots to fall after building the nine-point lead after the first quarter.

“I think when we lost Breanne to the injury, that took away a lot of our offense,” said Lake Orion Baptist coach Janet Noruk. “She was averaging a double-double every night and gave us a post game. Without her, we had to change things up. We had some other girls step up (this season), but we just didn’t shoot the ball well or rebound well in this game.”

Junior forward Katie Brundage nailed three of her first five three-point attempts in the first quarter, but missed her final eight attempts from long distance and was just 3-of-14 from downtown for nine points. Lake Orion Baptist made only 10 field goals during the final three quarters of play after going 5-for-10 in the first quarter.

After going just 2-of-13 from the floor in the first quarter, Springfield Christian turned the tables, using a 16-4 run to go up 20-17 at the half. The Eagles held the Lions to just one field goal over the final 5:30 of the second quarter.

Down 29-24 entering the fourth quarter, senior guard Julina Moreno gave the Lions a brief 30-29 advantage with 6:39 left in the final frame, drilling a triple from the top of the key.

Springfield Christian’s Megan Kaster responded with a lay-up 10 seconds later to put the Eagles up for good at 31-30.

Kaster, a 5-foot-10 sophomore, was a thorn in the Lions’ side all evening, consistently crashing the boards and getting in the passing lanes. She finished with eight points, but collected a career-high 22 rebounds — one of the highest single-game totals in school history — to go along with nine steals and four assists for good measure.

“The best thing about her is she’s only still a sophomore. The whole team is young We have only one senior,” reminded Day. “I really like Megan’s aggressiveness and her (willingness) to go after rebounds. She’s really starting to come along.”

The Eagles overcame their 34 turnovers by forcing 31 turnovers and picking up 18 steals as a team. Springfield Christian was 17-for-61 from the floor in the contest.

Freshman Lauren Key finished with a team-high 14 points, eight rebounds and three steals for Springfield Christian. Sophomore center Carissa Royer chipped in with nine points and six rebounds, senior guard Taylor Key had eight points and freshman forward Michelle Matthews had three points but pulled down 12 rebounds with five assists for the Eagles.

Moreno, a four-year starter, scored eight in the final frame and ended her career with 16 points, six steals, four assists and three steals. Junior Jill Streetman scored nine and sophomore Kara Sanders had nine rebounds.

“Each time we played them, they were all close games,” said Noruk. “We are both evenly-matched. This time they just beat us.”

To submit information to www.northoaklandsports.com, e-mail dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com. To advertise, e-mail advertising@northoaklandsports.com

Tags: featured, girls basketball