Center Grove turned a halftime deficit into a comfortable lead with a key third-quarter run.
“We started relaxing and getting into the flow of the game,” said junior Cassidy Hardin, who had two big 3-pointers in the run. “Scoring back to back 3-pointers pumps us up. Defensively we stepped it up, too.”
Hardin scored 16 points to lead the Trojans to a 43-31 victory against Fishers.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryHardin was just 3 of 13 from the field but made all seven of her free throws.
“In the first half, we were playing in too much of a hurry,” Center Grove coach Shawn Sanders said. “Quickness is our strength, but it’s also our weakness. We get in such a hurry on offense, we don’t take a deep breath and play.
“Our shot selection is too quick. They got in a groove in the first half. Then we would rush a shot. In the third quarter, we got in a groove.”
In the third quarter, Ella Thompson sank a 3-pointer to give the Trojans (1-1) to tie it at 23-23 with about five and a half minutes to go. Hardin then hit a 3-pointer to put the Trojans up for good at 26-23, and she followed with another 3-pointer to make it 29-25.
Center Grove outscored Fishers 13-4 in the third quarter.
The game was tied 11-all after the first quarter.
Fishers senior Audrey Turner, a 6-foot-4 senior, scored seven of her nine points in the second quarter as the Tigers (0-1) held a 21-20 halftime lead.
“We’re always undersized,” Sanders said. “Cass (Hardin) is 5-10 guarding a 6-4 center, that’s a lot to ask of someone. But you’re not going to outwork her. The big thing is Cass is fronting and sometimes they lob it over the top, and if her teammates aren’t helping, it’s tough.
“Last season, (Turner) had 20 against us. This time we had a little more support.”
Sanders said the Trojans got away from playing zone in the second half and played more man-to-man.
“In the second half, she didn’t hurt us,” Sanders said of Turner.
The Trojans hit 16 of 19 free throws, including all eight in the fourth quarter to seal it.
Center Grove lost its opener 47-46 to Plainfield Tuesday night.
“This is a good win for us,” said Sanders, whose team plays at Brownsburg on Tuesday night. “Hopefully, we’ll get a good week and get a little momentum. The players have been practicing hard and they’re buying into what we want to do. I’m happy where we are right now.”
