Columbus North’s Kenna Conrad prepares to shoot a layup while being guarded by Southport’s Ryleigh Hamilton at Columbus North, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024.
Paige Grider | For The Republic
Columbus North girls basketball coach Brett White knows that one day, the Bull Dogs will shoot the ball the way they are capable, and when that happens, they will be a tough team to beat.
So far this season, North hasn’t shot the ball well, but is doing enough other things right. The Bull Dogs improved to 4-0 Tuesday with a 48-40 win against Southport in their Conference Indiana opener.
“We didn’t shoot the ball very well again tonight,” White said. “We have to work on attacking the zone better. But like I told them, we made plays down the stretch, and that’s something we can grow from. We’re eventually going to shoot the basketball better than the last couple games, so that part I’m not worried about. We just have to learn how to execute consistently.”
North shot 5 of 28 from 3-point range for the second consecutive game.
“We’re able to shoot the 3-ball really well, but once that’s not going down, we have to find other ways to score and work together as a team and have a chance to come out with the win,” said sophomore point guard Kaylie Harmon, who hit three of the Bull Dogs’ five 3s and scored 14 points. “We can get a lot of shots up at practice, so hopefully the next game, we come out a lot better.”
Junior Kenna Conrad put up a career-high 14 points to match Harmon for team-high honors.
“I think we played together and looked for each other to find open spots in fast breaks and when we got set up on offense,” Conrad said. “We really moved the ball well and pushed it up the court to get open layups and shots.”
Tuesday’s win didn’t come easy. The game was tied at 34-34 with just over three minutes remaining when Paige Terry scored from inside, then came up with a steal at the other end that eventually led to a basket by Avery Johnson. The Cardinals (2-3, 1-1) hit a 3-pointer to cut it to one, but Conrad answered with a three-point play to push the lead back to 41-37.
A Southport free throw cut the lead to three with 1:36 remaining. But then the Bull Dogs scored seven in a row, all from the free-throw line, to ice it.
“We accomplished what we wanted to, as far as finishing the game off,” White said. “We did a nice job executing down the stretch.”
Johnson and Hadassah Hurt each scored eight points for North. Terry grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Bull Dogs to a 42-34 advantage on the boards.
Exactly half of North’s rebounds came on the offensive glass.
“We’ve been off on our 3 game these past four games, so being able to outrebound the other team especially helps a lot because then it gives us second and third chances,” Terry said.
“Collectively, I thought we rebounded well,” White added. “Paige individually really went after the basketball. She’s going to do that for us consistently, so we lean on her to do that. That gave us some second-chance opportunities.”
The 5-foot-11 Terry has been playing in the post alongside a four-guard lineup. She took over that spot when 6-0 junior Miley McClellan sustained an ACL tear over the summer.
“It’s important because Miley had a big role on our team,” Terry said. “She has very long arms and was very quick, so I realized when she tore her ACL that someone had to fill her role, so on the defensive side and the rebounding side, I realized I had to fill that role because it was very crucial.”
Columbus North 48, Southport 40
Southport;10;11;6;13;—;40
Columbus North;11;11;10;16;—;48
Southport (2-3, 1-1): Arianna Neese 0 0-0 0, Kaniah Davis-Muff 0 0-2 0, Kassie McMasters 7 3-4 19, Nola Linson 3 1-2 8, Lorelei Bennett 0 4-4 4, Ryleigh Hamilton 3 1-2 7, Sophia Nguyen 1 0-0 2. Totals: 14 9-14 40.
Columbus North (4-0, 1-0): Kenna Conrad 4 6-7 14, Ava Wilson 1 0-0 2, Hadassah Hurt 2 3-4 8, Riley Sims 0 0-0 0, Audrey Nordman 0 0-0 0, Kaylie Harmon 4 3-4 14, Paige Terry 1 0-2 2, Avery Johnson 3 1-2 8, Emma Beaver 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 13-19 48.
3-point goals: Southport 3 (McMasters 2, Linson). Columbus North 5 (Harmon 3, Hurt, Johnson).
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