Johnstown survives Zanesville’s rally
ZANESVILLE — Johnstown appeared to be comfortably ahead before host Zanesville turned it into a frenetic finish on Tuesday.
The visiting Johnnies led 50-36 with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Lady Devils’ pressure nearly erased the entire deficit.
Zanesville forced eight turnovers in a 13-1 game-ending run, but failed to tie or take the lead on its final four possessions.
Those missed opportunities allowed Johnstown to escape with a 51-49 victory in Licking County League play at Winland Memorial Gymnasium.
Abigail Adkins, who returned from a knee injury during Christmas break, provided the second-half spark for the Johnnies (5-6, 4-3 LCL).
She scored nine of her team-high 23 points in the third quarter to help turn a 36-31 deficit into a 40-36 lead entering and added six in the fourth quarter.
Her ability to take over came at the right time, noted coach Scott Helmke, whose team had only seven turnovers before the final three minutes.
“We did a better job attacking offensively (in the second half). We moved Abigail down to the baseline and let her go to work,” he noted. “Our offense fed our defensive effort, while our ball-handling was as good as we needed it to be. They’re a good, athletic team, and it’s not an easy place to win so it’s a good job by our girls to get this one.”
Offensive struggles put Zanesville (4-6, 3-3) in a precarious spot. The Lady Devils had a nine-plus minute scoring drought and made just two fields in the second half until a Kandrea Sowers layup with three minutes left in the game made it 50-41 Johnstown.
Jada Seyfried then turned a steal into a layup with two minutes left, while Jersey Draughn drilled a 3 before splitting a pair of free throws off a steal and Sowers also grabbed a steal and laid the ball in to bring Zanesville within 51-49 with just over a minute left.
However, a pair of turnovers and two misses from inside the paint prevented a full comeback for the Lady Devils.
Lulls like Tuesday have haunted Zanesville during its four-game losing streak, remarked coach Jeff Moore.
“We showed in the final two minutes we can play with physicality and intensity. We need to play with that hunger for 32 minutes,” he said. “During this skid, we have stretches where we can’t shoot it or don’t defend well. If you are doing at least one, you can stay in the game.
“We didn’t attack the gaps on offense. We forced some shots and settled for 3’s,” he added. “You have to give them credit for taking advantage of our defense. We weren’t fronting, and Adkins was able to attack it.”
The first half was full of action. Kylie Sharp had nine of her 22 points and Michaela Perfors scored all five of her points in the first quarter to stake the Johnnies to a slim 17-14 lead through one.
Sharp had eight more and Adkins chipped in five in the second, while Draughn collected eight of her team-high 19 points in that quarter, as the teams were even at 30 at the half.
Sowers added 15 points and Seyfried chipped in seven for the Lady Devils, who were held to 16-of-44 shooting, including 5-of-17 behind the arc. They were also only 12 of 21 from the line and had 12 turnovers.
The Johnnies were more efficient, hitting 18 of 45 field goals, 5 of 11 3s and 10 of 14 free throws.
Helmke noted having Adkins in the lineup is critical to his team’s success, but the Johnnies need the supporting cast to step up like it did Tuesday.
“Our eight girls gave great effort with Abigail out and have figured things out,” he said. “She brings confidence and allows the others to settle into their roles. But, we need at least another girl in double figures, and we had that tonight with Kylie and Michaela made some big shots in the first quarter. If we can get that, then we give ourselves a chance in a lot of games in the second half of the year.”
[email protected]; @brandonhannahs
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