Center Grove girls claim tournament title

<p>COLUMBUS</p><p>The term &quot;3 and D&quot; has become a popular one in basketball circles as floor spacing and efficient play have become emphasized more and more.</p><p>That same term also accurately sums up the general formula that the Center Grove girls basketball team has used during what is now a 13-game winning streak.</p><p>The Class 4A No. 10 Trojans gave up just one field goal in the first 11 and a half minutes of action during the championship game of the Columbus North Invitational Friday night against Mooresville, and they knocked down 10 shots from beyond the arc to secure a 62-50 victory.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery<p>Senior guard Ella Thompson had four of those 3s on the way to a game-high 22 points.</p><p>&quot;I think a lot of it was just how well we were reversing the ball,&quot; Thompson said. &quot;We were making the extra pass, and lot of it was our screeners. They were setting absolutely amazing screens.&quot;</p><p>Center Grove (14-2) rode its defense in the early going, building a 15-4 lead by the 6:41 mark of the second quarter behind seven points from Thompson. Mooresville (9-7) then started to find its offensive footing, but the Trojans maintained the upper hand by hitting six first-half 3-pointers.</p><p>Defense was again a difference-maker early in the third quarter. Ashley Eck came up with a steal and fed Emma Utterback for a layup, and Utterback then blocked a shot and got upcourt to turn another Eck pass into a basket that made it 36-23.</p><p>The Trojans then piled on again from outside, getting another 3 from Thompson and two more from Claire Rake to stretch its lead to 49-27 with 2:30 remaining in the third period.</p><p>Mooresville finished the quarter with an 11-0 run and got as close as six, 55-49, with 3:13 left in the game, but Wilson knocked down a corner 3 seconds later to help Center Grove stave off the late charge.</p><p>&quot;We just got a little complacent, I think,&quot; Center Grove coach Kevin Stuckmeyer said. &quot;Long day, long 24 hours and … we let a few things go. Credit Mooresville; they’re that type of team that, they don’t give in.&quot;</p><p>Wilson wound up with 13 points in the win, while Utterback finished with 12 and Rake added 11. Utterback joined Thompson on the all-tournament team.</p><p>The Trojans didn’t have the same shooting touch in the semifinal but still moved into the title game with a 37-33 win over Martinsville. Thompson led the way for Center Grove with 14 points, while Wilson added nine.</p><p>Being able to secure another tournament trophy should provide the Trojans a boost heading into the heart of their conference schedule.</p><p>&quot;Winning this tournament gives us a lot of momentum, especially going into the meat of our MIC schedule,&quot; Thompson said. &quot;Playing teams like Ben Davis, Lawrence North, Carmel, North Central, this gives us a lot of confidence and momentum.&quot;</p>