Ansonia uses defense to turn the tide on Lady Hawks

Ansonia senior Catey Fischer goes up for two of her game high 21 points Tuesday against
Mississinawa Valley. Fischer also pulled down 10 rebounds for the Tigers as Ansonia rolled to a
51-34 Cross County Conference victory. CNO Photos by Danny Stockton, stocktonstudios.com

Fischer scores double-double to lead the way

By George Starks

ANSONIA - Leading by a slim 25-20 count at the break, the Ansonia Lady Tigers used some solid defense in the third quarter, holding Mississinawa Valley to only four points.

In the process, the Tigers netted 19 points in the frame and eventually rolled to a 51-34 Cross County Conference victory Tuesday.

“The kids came out and walked through the first half,” said Ansonia coach Jim Bolin. “I told them at halftime that we just needed to go out and end this game and we could relax in the fourth quarter and they did.”

Being an MV alumni, Bolin wanted this game and made sure his kids knew it.

“I told them there was a game on the schedule I wanted to win and it was this one,” Bolin pointed out. “Having been there for 22 years and a Hall of Famer there, I actually hate playing them because I’m a Blackhawk through and through. The kids came out and took care of the game and at the end of the third quarter, it was over.”

The Ansonia defense took over in the third frame, creating eight Blackhawk turnovers.

The Tigers came out on a 5-0 spurt, creating a 10-point bulge, 30-20.

With 25.7 seconds remaining in the frame, the Tigers had opened up a commanding 41-24 advantage and maintained that lead going in to the final stanza.

“Our defense is getting better and better each game,” Bolin stated. “I was really ecstatic about our defense from day one. They work hard and do everything I ask of them. I couldn’t ask for more.”

Leading the way for the Tigers were senior Catey Fischer and freshman Lydia Sink.

Fischer ended the night with 21 points and 10 rebounds, six off the offensive glass.

Sink added another 15 in support of Fischer.

“Catey played like a senior,” said Bolin. “She is a really good ball player and a great athlete and I couldn’t ask for a better leader than Catey. Lydia is a freshman and she plays like a junior. She’s got some growing pains as a freshman, but she’s going to get better and better. Our whole team is going to get better as the season goes on.”

While the Tiger defense forced 27 MV turnovers, Ansonia had only a dozen miscues on offense.

“As I’ve looked back over my stats, we’ve not had more than 14 turnovers in any game,” Bolin pointed out. “Every practice they are getting better and we protected the ball well tonight. No coach likes any turnovers but I can live with twelve compared to what our defense done to their offense.”

While Bolin was pleased with the overall effort on the comparison in turnovers, MV coach Bo Humphries had a different take on the whole situation.

“The third quarter was a backbreaker for us,” commented Humphries. “It just came down to the point when Ansonia wanted the game more. We were out-hustled, out-rebounded. We didn’t do the things that got us where we were in the first half. We didn’t execute in the second half. Turnovers got us tonight. Twenty-seven is way too many. We have to play four quarters of basketball. Not two.”

With the win, the Tigers go to 2-1 on the young season, 1-0 in the conference and will host St. Henry Saturday at 1 p.m. while the Hawks, 0-1, will travel to Franklin Monroe for a 5:30 junior varsity start.