COLUMBUS
The term "3 and D" has become a popular one in basketball circles as floor spacing and efficient play have become emphasized more and more.
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.
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.
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Senior guard Ella Thompson had four of those 3s on the way to a game-high 22 points.
"I think a lot of it was just how well we were reversing the ball," Thompson said. "We were making the extra pass, and lot of it was our screeners. They were setting absolutely amazing screens."
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.
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.
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.
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.
"We just got a little complacent, I think," Center Grove coach Kevin Stuckmeyer said. "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."
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.
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.
Being able to secure another tournament trophy should provide the Trojans a boost heading into the heart of their conference schedule.
"Winning this tournament gives us a lot of momentum, especially going into the meat of our MIC schedule," Thompson said. "Playing teams like Ben Davis, Lawrence North, Carmel, North Central, this gives us a lot of confidence and momentum."
