YOUNGSTOWN Ursuline prevails over Magnificat

Rocky River Magnificat's 0-4 record is deceiving and all were by fewer than 10 points.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Talk about bad starts.
The Ursuline High girls basketball team missed its 10 shots from the field and its first four free throws.
The Irish watched Rocky River Magnificat -- which has beaten the Irish three straight years -- open a 14-0 lead in the first four minutes and an 18-9 first quarter lead.
"We played the worst quarter we could possibly play," Ursuline coach Sean Durkin said. "The worst I could imagine."
Rally helps
By the way, Ursuline won. Talk about good finishes.
Irish senior Christina Cook scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Freshman Tyra Grant added 11 points and nine rebounds as the Irish rallied to beat the Blue Streaks 54-51 Saturday at Ursuline High School.
"That was great," Irish senior Amber Miller, who forced a key Magnificat turnover in the final minute, said. "We were just really nervous at the start, but coach told us to relax and take our time.
"We're still really young."
The Irish outscored the Blue Streaks 21-13 in the second quarter to trim the halftime deficit to 31-30. The Irish led 44-39 entering the fourth quarter, but Magnificat reclaimed the lead with four minutes left.
The Blue Streaks held a 51-48 lead with three minutes left, but missed its final two shots and had four turnovers down the stretch.
"Coach Durkin says defense is our weakest link and that's the truth," Cook said. "Defense is the key."
Grant scored seven points in the final four minutes and hit 3 of 4 free throws -- after missing all six of her attempts in the first quarter.
Junior Courtney Davidson struggled to find her rhythm all game and finished with just nine points but added six rebounds, six assists and four steals.
Out-coached
"They did a nice job on [Davidson] and she just had a bad day shooting the ball," Durkin said. "They did all kinds of different things defensively. In fact, I thought [Magnificat coach John Becker] out-coached me. He had me guessing all day."
Junior Ali Distlehorst led the Blue Streaks (0-4) with 14 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Katie Newman added 14 points.
Magnificat's record is deceiving -- all four losses came against good teams (Akron Hoban, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, Massillon Washington) and all were by fewer than 10 points.
Ursuline (3-0) has an equally strong schedule -- the Irish play 10 Division I teams and five Division II teams -- and is hoping it will pay off in the tournament.
"We want to play tough teams," Durkin said. "Our idea is to make it as tough as possible in the regular season."
scalzo@vindy.com