ELYRIA − Entering Tuesday evening’s Division V regional semifinal game versus Norwayne, Triway had every right to feel upbeat about their chances for victory.
The Titans were coming off their second district title in three years and the Principal Athletic Conference runners-up had won 10 of its last 11 games. That 11-game stretch started after a loss to the very Norwayne team Triway matched up with on Tuesday.
In the January 14th game between the two Wayne County area schools, Norwayne won comfortably 58-24 on the road.
On Tuesday, the result looked similar said Triway head coach Mike Miller, as Norwayne (23-2) ran past the Titans (19-7) 63-28 to submit their spot in Friday’s Division V regional final.
“We just couldn’t keep them off the boards,” he said. “Even when we did get a block out, when they jumped they’re a whole head above us. [Hannah] Froelich and [Ava] Maibach, you can be inside and they can go up and tip it to themselves and we couldn’t keep them of the glass.”
Yup. That’s the same problem that many teams have had dealing with the Bobcats this season.
They beat you up inside, outwork you on the glass and they push themselves to play as hard as they can until the final clock hits zero.
Against Triway was no different.
“We tell the girls to go as hard as you can when you’re on the court,” said Norwayne head coach Jake Shoup. “If they need a break, they’ll get a break. They have to get through it when they’re out there. We don’t have a super deep bench, so the girls do a nice job buying in completely and selling out when they’re out there.”
“I think it just goes back to the summer workouts,” said Norwayne guard Madicyn Rupp. “I think when we’re tired we have to remember to keep on communicating, push ourselves and continue to work hard to get these wins.”
That full-out effort from Norwayne was put on view from tipoff, as the Bobcats set the tone defensively getting around ball screens, calling out the switches and defending away from the ball. Triway couldn’t get anything going in the half-court and for the night they were mostly limited to just one shot on their offensive possessions.
Norwayne led 19-2 after the first quarter and held a 33-9 lead by the end of the first half.
“We were face-guarding and just making sure we were really communicating on those switches,” Rupp said, who had a hot-shooting night with six 3-pointers and 19 points. “Helping and jumping to the ball. Rebounding on offense and defense and making sure they don’t get those second-chance opportunities.”
Said Shoup, “That’s something we prepped for all week. We didn’t do a lot of offensive work this week. Lot of it was defensive stuff. What we wanted to do coverage wise against ball screens, flare screens, off ball screens, staggers. Everything. I think the girls right now defensively have been locked in and disciplined on defense as we’ve been all season.”
“We knew they were going to be physical and bump your cutters,” Miller added. “It wasn’t like we turned the ball over a lot and we had good looks. Our shots were rushed and that’s attributed to Norwayne. We knew we would have to play a flawless game.”
Up next for last year’s Division V state runners-up Norwayne will be all-too familiar Chippewa, as this will be the Bobcats and Chipps third time meeting this season with a state semifinal spot on the line.
“Chippewa is a good team and are well-coached,” said Shoup. “We’re really goona have to do a good job of knowing personnel and how we wanna guard them. Every possession is going to matter. It’s going to be a grind these next few days and our girls are up for it.”
jamessimpson@gannett.com
Twitter/X: @JamesSimpsonII
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Norwayne smothers Triway for second time this season in Div. V regional semifinal win
Reporting by James Simpson II, Wooster Daily Record / The Daily Record
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