Avon Lake Shoregals are headed to Dayton defeating Brush 43-39 in division III state semifinal

 

(Avon Lake head coach Paul Appel talking to his team during a timeout. Photo: Chuck Cordes - Ohsfbmedia.com)

CANTON, Oh--In a whirlwind ending the Shoregals of Avon pull out a 43-39 state semi-final win and are heading to the University of Dayton Arena for a matchup with defending state champion Purcell Marian.

This game was a tight one from beginning to end and had all the intangibles included.

In the opening quarter intensity was in the air with the first points of the game coming at the 5:22 mark by Avon Lake's Bre Jones as both teams would use zone defense to begin the game turned into a low scoring affair ending the quarter 7-5 with Avon leading.

When asked about Brush's zone defense Olivia Miller replied, "It affected us a little because we weren't moving the ball, like we get stationary, but we knew we had to move the ball, come to the ball, we also knew they would come at the ball and try and get it."

"It means a lot It feels good to come this far with them, it's amazing," said Miller.

Scoring would turn up in the second quarter and the first tie of the game with a 2-point field goal by Tatiana Mason would knot things up at 11-11.

(Tatiana Mason using a direct drive around defending Olivia Miller. Photo: Chuck Cordes - Ohsfbmedia.com)

It was a total team effort from the scoring department from Brush as four of the five starters would score the ball mostly from the paint as they could not convert from the outside.

Molly Milligan would be the force as she would score eight points and lead scoring for the half making multiple inside shots to keep Avon Lake close, as both teams would be tied at the 2:55 mark and ending the quarter again leading by three 18-15.

(Brush head coach Demarris Winters coaching. Photo: Chuck Cordes - Ohsfbmedia.com)

Opening the third quarter Brush continued in the full court zone defense disrupting Avon, leading to a tight score halfway through the quarter with a 22-22 tie with 3:27 left in the quarter, Olivia Miller would heat up and take off where Molly Milligan left off at scoring to keep the Shoregals ahead by two heading into the fourth quarter.

The last quarter of this semi-final was everything one wanted in a tournament game, Brush would have some success taking lead 31-30 at 6:36 following multiple lead changes, with 3:05 left a flop call was whistled that may have changed the game for Brush causing a change of possession with Avon up 38-37.

Avon would have enough to seal the game with 18.9 seconds left Brush would have to foul to stop the clock, again a valiant effort but come up short sending Avon Lake to the OHSAA State Championship game.

(Avon Lake teammates celebrate and pose for pictures. Photo: Chuck Cordes - Ohsfbmedia.com)

"It means alot the girls have worked so hard all off season all season they've done an incredible job playing together and being a team," said Appel.

Brush ended a 22-game winning streak and finish the season 24-3.