Girls basketball team: Medina Christian fights good fight, falls to Oberlin

OBERLIN — The Medina Christian Academy girls basketball team continues to fight the good fight. The Knights took on Oberlin in a non-league game and, despite still being extremely short on healthy players, battled gamely before falling 54-43. With a rotation that consisted of just one reserve seeing significant minutes and only two others on the bench, the deck was stacked against the Knights (7-9) vs. Oberlin (3-16), which had 15 players. "If we had Lydia (Dorman) and Adriana (Smith), we would have played better," said forward Ashley Conwill, who had 15 points. "I feel like the starters being in so long with limited breaks took a toll on us. That was a big thing for when we lost momentum." With all starters playing significant minutes and point guard Grace Hastings playing the entire game, fatigue was definitely an issue. "I think some of the players that aren't always on the court were nervous," Hastings said. "I think the crowd also got to them and I don't think we played to our best ability, which is why we couldn't finish anything." The loud and raucous crowd was something the Knights don't typically encounter, but the smooth-dribbling Hastings had a great all-around night with eight points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. After a slow start, Conwill helped the Knights finished the first quarter on a 7-2 run to close to within 8-7. Conwill had all seven of her team's points in the period, hitting a pair of triples and a free throw. She made her team's first bucket with 2:10 left in the quarter. The first-year OHSAA program started slowly again in the second, falling behind 15-7. Anna Gibson kick-started a 10-4 MCA run to close to within 19-17 and the Knights trailed just 21-17 at the break. "Today's game was definitely a learning experience," Conwill said. "This is our first year playing public schools, so I think sometimes that gets in our head and we don't usually play as well as we should." The Phoenix delivered the dagger against the tired Knights with a 12-0 run after Ann Sems had knocked in a pair of free throws to get her team within 21-19. MCA continued to play tough and outscored Oberlin 24-21 the rest of the contest, getting its closest when a Sems triple cut the deficit to 38-30 early in the fourth quarter. The Knights forced 25 Phoenix turnovers and, despite being significantly smaller inside, finished dead even on the glass at 37. Addison Wolf was the biggest contributor on the boards, pulling down a game-high 11, while Gibson had nine and Sems hsf seven. Contact Chad Grant at sports@medina-gazette.com. Oberlin 54, Medina Christian Academy 43 MCA 7 10 10 16 — 43 OBERLIN 8 13 17 16 — 54 MCA — Ann Sems 3-3-11, Ashley Conwill 5-1-15, Addison Wolf 2-1-5, Anna Gibson 1-1-4, Grace Hastings 4-0-8, Olivia Wolf 0-0-0, Perry Reidl 0-0-0. TOTALS: 15-6-43. Oberlin — Rivera McKenzie 2-0-4, Desiree Randleman 3-1-7, Deatrice Barnes 1-0-2, Katlyn Steator 1-0-2, Karen Regalado-Martinez 2-0-4, Kendra Bynum 1-1-4, Rosalina Baker 0-2-2, Clara McCown 4-4-12, Janiah Bowen-Pride 2-2-6, Candice Locklear 3-0-7, Larissa Freas 0-0-0, Loralei Wilborn 1-0-2, Lillian McFarland 0-0-0, Tamari Adcox 1-0-2, Mar'Layihia Froust 0-0-0. TOTALS: 21-10-54. 3-point goals — Conwill 4, Sems 2, Gibson, Bynum, Locklear. Rebounds — MCA 37 (Wolf 11), Oberlin 37 (McCown 7). Assists — MCA 7 (Hastings 4), Oberlin 8 (Bowen-Pride, Streator 2). Records — MCA (7-9), Oberlin (3-16).