Miley McClellan
Columbus North couldn’t capitalize the great start it had to Tuesday night’s girls basketball game.
The Bull Dogs led after the first quarter, but the final three quarters told a different story, as they fell to visiting Mooresville 48-37.
It was tough throughout the game for North to try to contain the Pioneers’ bigger and more physical girls in the paint. The trio of Rachel Harshman, Ava Shaver and Kalyn Bunch did a ton of damage in the paint for Mooresville putting up 33 of the total 48 points.
“Overall, I felt like we kept them off the boards,” North coach Brett White said. “They made some shots there, we were digging in the post, trying to take some things away. They had a girl that stepped up and hit a couple 3s. That’s what good teams do. They have other people that can do things for them.”
The Bull Dogs (0-2) got some 3-pointers early from Hadassah Hurt, Miley McClellan and Kaylie Harmon to move ahead 13-7 after the first quarter.
The shot selection began fading a little in the second and third quarters. North didn’t have a 3-point basket in those quarters. In the third quarter, the Bull Dogs scored six of their eight points from the free-throw line. Mooresville took advantage in the third quarter when they jumped out on a 12-3 run to begin the third quarter and led 31-23.
Harmon hit a couple 3s to keep North within striking range, trailing 40-35. However, a Shaver 3-pointer off an inbounds play, followed by another basket from Emma McGinley pushed the lead back up to double digits at 47-37, ending the Bull Dogs’ chances at a comeback.
”I would say their physically wore us down a little bit in the second half, and that led to some turnovers that we weren’t making early,” White said, “and it maybe led to some quicker shots instead of being patient and looking for the next play. We kind of settled in a little bit maybe because of fatigue.”
Harmon finished with 13 points, and Miley McClellan added 12 to lead North.
The Bull Dogs will look to capture their first win of the season when they host Martinsville on Friday.
Mooresville 48, Columbus North 37
Mooresville;7;12;15;14;—;48
Columbus North;13;7;8;9;—;37
Mooresville (2-1): Lyla Jacobs 3 0-0 8, Sydney Hardy 1 0-0 2, Emma McGinley 1 3-3 5, Addi VanWanzeele 0 0-0 0, Ava Shaver 3 4-8 11, Rachel Harshman 5 0-1 10, Randee Garringer 0 0-0 0, Kalyn Bunch 3 6-10 12. Totals: 16 13-20 48.
Columbus North (0-2): Kenna Conrad 1 0-0 2, Ava Wilson 0 1-2 1, Olivia Johnson 0 1-2 1, Kaylee Harmon 4 2-2 13, Paige Terry 0 0-2 0, Kaitlin White 1 0-2 2, Miley McClellan 4 3-3 12, Sydney Johnson 0 0-0 0, Hadassah Hurt 1 3-4 6. Totals: 11 10-17 37.
3-point goals: Mooresville 3 (Jacobs 2, Shafer); Columbus North 5 (Harmon 3, McClellan, Hurt).
