SMCC girls advance after overtime win

SANDUSKY — Tournament basketball brings out the best in players. For St. Mary Central Catholic freshman Reid Didion, playing in her first OHSAA tournament game brought out her best as she poured in a career-high 31 points to lead the Panthers to a 56-53 overtime win over Maumee Valley Country Day in a Division VII tournament opener. "I just wanted it for these seniors," Didion said. "This team wanted to give our seniors a second season and keep this group together for a couple more days." SMCC improved to 10-13 and will travel to Danbury (11-11) for the sectional championship at 2 p.m. at Danbury. The Lakers have two wins over SMCC this season. "I told the girls I do not want to lose to a team three times," SMCC coach Kevin Youskievicz said. "(Danbury coach) Joe (Miller) has a very good team and there's no doubt he will have his girls ready." The win for the Panthers was the first tournament win for St. Mary since 2019. For the group of seniors, after winning only one total game their first three seasons, they have now reached 10. That is the most for SMCC since 2019 (12-12). "This season all stems from these seniors, Nicolette (Hile), Audriella (Walton) and Allison (Lill)," Youskievicz said. "Those three were part of the building blocks and when I came in, I told them that and they were willing to stick with me." The game did not start out the best for the Panthers as they missed their first eight shots from the field and committed four turnovers. The first basket came halfway through the first quarter for SMCC. For the Hawks (7-16), they started the game up 5-0 behind baskets from I'yonna Sawyer and Norah Angel. The Panthers responded with a 10-4 run to lead 10-9 after a period of play. "For this young of a team to pull out a game like this shows the direction this program is going," Youskievicz said. "I'm proud of the way our girls responded and winning a game like this should boost their confidence." The second quarter featured both teams still struggling from the field as both teams went a combined 14 of 61 in the first half. SMCC got balance in the second frame as four players reached the scoring column led by Didion with five points. For the Hawks, they received even scoring with Sani Jackson and Emma Dewire both hitting triples. Heading into halftime, SMCC led 23-18. In the third, the Panthers got a big quarter from Lill, who scored seven points. For MVCD, they would ride the hot hand of Sawyer who scored seven points of her own. After three quarters of play, SMCC led 37-30. Then came the drama-filled fourth quarter. After the Panthers scored five of the first seven points in the frame to go up 42-32, MVCD responded with a 15-3 run to take a 47-46 lead with 10.4 seconds left. SMCC drove it the length of the floor and missed a layup, but Didion came up with a crucial rebound and got fouled on a putback with 4.2 seconds left. Didion missed the front end, but cashed in the second to tie the score at 47. MVCD did not get a shot off as the game went into overtime. "I definitely was nervous stepping up to the line," Didion said. "My blood was definitely rushing, but I knew the second was going to be good." In the overtime period, Hile made a layup from an assist from Lill and then Didion made a layup to give SMCC a 51-47 lead. The Hawks got a triple from Nora Angel to get within 51-50 before Didion split a pair of free throws to make it 53-50. After a turnover, SMCC got fouled again and made two more foul shots to make it 55-50. The Hawks got a triple from Conover to make it 55-53. Didion split a pair of free throws to make it 56-53. After a turnover with eight seconds left, MVCD called a timeout. On the last possession, the Hawks did not get a shot off and the Panthers advanced in a thriller. Lill added nine points for the Panthers while Shafrath had eight points. For the Hawks, they were paced by Sawyer with 23 points while Dewire added 13 points. MAUMEE VALLEY COUNTRY DAY (7-16) Sani Jackson 1 0-0 3, Emma Dewire 5 0-0 13, Elaine Shen 0 0-2 0, I'yonna Sawyer 11 0-4 23, Norah Angel 3 1-2 9, MJ Conover 1 2-2 5. TOTALS 21 3-10 53 ST. MARY CC (10-13) Nicolette Hile 3 0-2 6, Allison Lill 4 0-0 9, Rae Roth 1 0-0 2, Reid Didion 9 10-16 31, Evelyn Shafrath 3 2-4 8. TOTALS 20 12-22 55 MVCD 9 9 12 20 6 — 53 SMCC 10 13 14 13 9 — 56 Three-point goals: MVCD 8 (Dewire 3, Angel 2, Jackson, Sawyer, Conover); SMCC 4 (Didion 3, Lill)