CAMDEN — Preble Shawnee girls’ head coach Joe Webster had one simple explanation for his team losing two games where it failed to score more than 31 points: “If you can’t make shots you can’t win, that’s the bottom line — if you can’t shoot you can’t win.”
Webster’s comments came after his team’s 45-31 home loss to Milton Union on Thursday, Jan. 7.
Preble Shawnee’s defense and effort kept the team close in the first half with Milton Union leading 10-7 after the first period.
The Arrows controlled play for much of the second quarter, and closed the lead to 18-16 heading into halftime.
After intermission the bulldogs began to pull away as the Arrows saw numerous good looks fail to go through the net.
The cold shooting continued for Shawnee into the fourth quarter and the visitors spent the remainder of the game extending the lead to an eventual 45-31 victory.
Milton Union used size and athleticism to pressure the Arrows and the Bulldogs’ length inside seemed to bother the young Shawnee squad.
Webster, however, made no excuses for his team. “You have to play more than one half of basketball,” he said. “Size is size — you have to learn to deal with that. We just can’t play two halves of basketball right now.”
Webster did not question his team’s effort, but says his team needs to find the confidence to finish offensive possessions.
“We played hard the whole game,” he said, adding, “Ain’t no body quitting in the game, but somewhere down the line you have to finish shots.”
Nicole Sims led the Arrows with 11 points, going 4-13 from the field. Riane Woodard scored nine points including making 7 of 10 free throw attempts in the game.
The Arrows shot just 9-47 for the game for 19 percent shooting. As a team they shot 10-18 from the free throw line.
The Arrows were out-rebounded 48 to 26 and allowed 14 offensive rebounds by Milton Union.
On Monday, Jan. 4, the team traveled to Bishop Fenwick and fell, 35-27.
The Arrows defense forced 23 turnovers in the game, but a cold shooting offense once again came back to haunt the team.
The Arrows shot poorly, making only 11 shots on 45 attempts for 24 percent shooting.
The Arrows led at halftime by a score of 18-14.
After halftime, the Arrows went ice cold and Fenwick seized the lead for good, going on a 15-2 run in the third quarter. Entering the final quarter it was 29-20.
The Arrows won three of the four quarters played, winning the fourth quarter 7-6 for the 35-27 final.
For the week, the Arrows scored double digits just once in a quarter, scoring 10 in the second quarter against Fenwick.
Chloe Smith and Elise Walker each scored eight points for the Arrows in the loss.
The Arrows fall to 3-7 on the season and 2-4 in the SWBL Buckeye League. The team hosts Middle Christian on Monday, Jan. 11 before hosting Carlisle on Thursday, Jan. 14.
The week will end for the Arrows at Twin Valley South on Saturday, Jan, 16, with a scheduled tip off at 5:30 p.m. The game will start immediately following the JV boys game. JV girls are scheduled to play the first game of the day with a full slate of games and varsity boys concluding the action after the varsity girls’ game.
