It was a defensive tussle that turned into a route on Wednesday. The Allen County women’s basketball team had little trouble with Ottawa’s JV team, winning 85-47.
The first half was complete domination with the Lady Devils holding the Lady Braves without a field goal for a good part of the first quarter. They kept the clamps on in the second and went into halftime leading 41-15.
“I think the biggest highlight was that we really got to play the way I want us to play,” head coach Todd Buchanan said. “We were able to create offense out of our defense and pressure. With us being able to do that, it made the flow of the game much quicker than normal.”
In the second half the Lady Devils let up a bit, outscoring Ottawa by just 12 points but that coincided with Buchanan emptying the bench, allowing plenty of playing time for reserve players in the third and fourth quarter.
“We were very balanced,” Buchanan said. “Nobody played more than 23 minutes. We moved the ball much better than in some of our scrimmages and we started to learn how to play together. We have three games in four days so we have a lot on our plate but we’ll take it. It’s always good to get that first one in the books and get everybody acclimated to everything.”
Sophomores are leading this year’s squad with all three of their top scorers returning after a 9-22 season last year.
Guards Kamri Summons and Tamera Shaver led the way Wednesday scoring 23 and 12 points respectively and look to be the two of Allen County’s top weapons this season.
“I feel good about it,” Buchanan said of his veteran team. “It’s one those things that you just keep building on. We know where we want to go. We’re not there yet but we’re headed in the right direction for sure. Our depth is the best that it’s ever been since I’ve been here and we have a lot of athleticism in that depth. We have kids that can create their own shot. Also, they have a lot of basketball I.Q. If you can get depth, athleticism, basketball I.Q. and size, that’s a pretty good place to start.”
Joining the returners is a crop of freshman that Buchanan really likes including freshman guard Destiny Pittman who was the lone freshman starter on Wednesday. Pittman may have only scored five but the Lady Devils see her being a force as the year progresses.
“She can be a next level kid,” Buchanan said. “She got caught in the foul game tonight and it wasn’t her night and we talked about it but I’d rather it happen in this situation than later on when we really need her.”
The Lady Devils were picked to finished 11th in the KJCCC preseason coaches poll but Buchanan isn’t concerned with that. His focus is set on his team’s on-court performance and improvement throughout the year.
“I want us to be the best that we can be,” Buchanan said. “It sounds cliche but I want us to be the best team per possession, per quarter, per half, all of it. I don’t know how good we can be. The way the schedule is set up you only get four nonconference games and then you go straight into conference. It’s a war every night in the Jayhawk.”
The Red Devils will host the Red Devil Classic over the weekend where they’ll take on Missouri Baptist JV on Friday and Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa on Saturday. Tip-off for both games is at 5 p.m.
PHOTO: Lady Devil sophomore Tamera Shaver looks to pass the ball in Allen Co.’s 85-47 win over Ottawa JV on Wednesday. REGISTER/TIMOTHY EVERSON
