BELLVILLE — In just the second game of the season, the Clear Fork Colts sure look like they are in midseason form.
After beating Lexington 65-22 in a nonconference rivalry game on Tuesday night, the Colts improved to 2-0 while Lady Lex drops to 0-2. There were plenty of numbers that told the story of the game. Let’s dig into those right here.
12-8
Clear Fork’s lead after the first quarter. Lex made things difficult for the Colts during the opening eight minutes to only trail by four. Clear Fork shot 5-of-27 in the first quarter and 2-for-15 from three, but Colts’ coach Scott Sellers still saw some great things from his team before the second quarter started.
“Our pace was really good to start the game and our pressure was fantastic,” Sellers said. “We just didn’t shoot the ball well in the first quarter. I did see that we were offensive rebounding at a high level and we were picking up in the full court very well. All in all, I keep preaching to the kids, especially in these first couple of games, to be patient and let everything add up. It did.”
46-8
Clear Fork’s advantage during the second and third quarters combined. The Colts caught fire in the second quarter with six three-pointers and went 10-for-22 from the field during that span. They added three more threes in the third and finished the game with 12 and making 36% of their shots from beyond the arc. Millie Chamberlain, Ava Boccio and Asia Bechtel all made four 3-pointers apiece.
“Millie Chamberlain put up so many shots this offseason,” Sellers said. “She is 5-foot-10 with a very short memory when it comes to missed shots. She is going to be an absolute star here if she decides she wants to be one.”
Despite the slow start, the Colts never panicked and stuck to the game plan.
“We were just playing the game,” Chamberlain said. “We didn’t hit our shots, but in the second quarter, we started making them and found a groove.”
3
Number of double-digit scorers for Clear Fork and one more had nine. Chamberlain, a freshman playing in just her second varsity game ever, led all scorers with 16 while Boccio and Bechtel had 14 apiece. Hailly thrush added nine.
“We have been practicing a lot, so when we get out there, we already know what to do,” Chamberlain said. “My coaches and teammates have been so supportive of me and that just makes me feel confident to go out and play.”
Chamberlain enjoyed the best game of her young career after working out the nerves in Game 1 where she had three points in a 66-44 win over Madison. She worked her way right into the starting lineup and made it pay off on Tuesday night.
“Coach Sellers has a rule where you can start if you are in the Top 5 of total shots over the summer,” Chamberlain said. “I wanted that so bad this year. I shot 52,000 shots between my other sports.”
23
Number of offensive rebounds for the Colts. They finished with 36 total rebounds as a team and scored 16 second-chance points and nearly outrebounded Lexington’s total with just their offensive boards. Boccio led the way with six boards while Thrush and Brinley Barnett had five apiece. Barnett finished with two assists and two steals and no points, but left her fingerprints on the game in every aspect.
“I said in the locker room, the key to how we go starts with Brinley Barnett,” Sellers said. “There are not too many returning All-Ohioans who are pass first and shoot second kind of kids. I don’t know many who have the talent that she has, but she would rather get in the middle and kick it out. She is the heartbeat of everything we do.”
30
Number of points Clear Fork scored off of turnovers. The Colts forced 31 turnovers for the game and converted them in nearly half of their total points for the game. They forced 10 in the first quarter alone, but Lexington didn’t let the Colts make them hurt as much as they could have.
“Lexington came to play,” Sellers said. “That is a prideful team and community and they were ready to play in the first quarter. We matched that energy and pulled away in the second and third quarters on a great night to play right before Thanksgiving.”
Up next
The Colts are back in action on Dec. 4 when they travel to Ontario to begin Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference play.
“It is going to be a great test for us,” Sellers said. “They started the year 2-0 and we get to start league play with a tough opponent right away. When we get into MOAC play, it is such a fun time of the year. We will get a couple more practices before then we will get locked in. I told the kids to lock in now because it is getting to a point where we are playing two or three times a week and this is why we got up early in June and worked.”
Chamberlain feels like her team is ready to make a run at a league championship this season and it all starts on Dec. 4.
“I think we are in a great spot right now,” Chamberlain said. “My teammates are playing amazing and we are starting jell.”
jfurr@gannett.com
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: The numbers behind Clear Fork’s dominant girls hoops win over Lexington
Reporting by Jake Furr, Mansfield News Journal / Mansfield News Journal
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