Blue Devils strong in right spots

McDonald rallied from a 35-30 deficit to upend Lowellville, 51-41.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
MCDONALD -- The McDonald High girls basketball team found a strong spot in its offense and a weak spot in Lowellville's defense over the final 10 minutes of their Inter-County League game Monday night.
Those twin discoveries enabled the Blue Devils to rally from a 35-30 deficit by outscoring the Rockets by 21-6 down the stretch for a 51-41 victory to stay undefeated.
While Ashleigh Tondo and sisters Amy Dolsak and Emily Dolsak were scoring from the outside and middle to lure out Lowellville's defenders to guard them, Ashshena Stephens got free underneath for key points that turned the tide in the game.
Stephens, a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter, scored eight of her 12 points in the final quarter after getting timely feeds and then driving to the hoop, to break open a 35-35 tie after three quarters and launch McDonald on to victory.
Tondo led the Blue Devils (13-0, 7-0) with 15 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists while Amy Dolsak added 14 points, nine rebounds and Emily Dolsak had eight points.
Stephens got open for drives
"They were playing defensive takeaway guarding Emily, Ashleigh and Amy and they didn't guard Ashshena real well," said McDonald coach Rob Hilbun. "We wanted to make an effort to get the ball inside to [Ashshena], and if you don't guard her [she is going to score]."
Hilbun said his outside shooters were getting good looks at the basket, which drew out the Lowellville defense.
"That got [Ashshena] free," he said. "Ashshena was in the high and low posts and we were looking in to feed her."
But there was another factor in that scenario -- Lowellville's big and talented player, Ali Grapevine, who led the Rockets (6-6, 4-3) with 12 points. Grapevine was saddled with four fouls, allowing McDonald and Stephens to capitalize.
"She was afraid to guard Stephens closely [because of that] and that got [Stephens] loose for some baskets," said Lowellville coach Tony Matisi.
Lowellville's offense falters
But Matisi said Lowellville's poor second-half shooting (the Rockets were 5 of 23) doomed the team.
"That was the key to the game," said Matisi. "We've got to hit some shots to get the middle open for Grapevine. We weren't hitting from the outside so they didn't come out to guard us and they clogged up the middle [against Grapevine]."
The Rockets shot better in the first half.
"I was happy with our [offensive] looks," Matisi said. "Our three guards can square up and shoot anytime. We had trouble putting two halves together."
Kristen Pallozzi added nine points for the Rockets, who built a 35-30 lead with about three minutes left in the third quarter on Jacque Schrader's 3-point goal and Whitney Palumbo's two-point hoop.
Amy Dolsak delivers
But Amy Dolsak made two foul shots and a 3-point goal to tie it at 35-35 after three periods, and Stephens gave McDonald the lead, 37-35, on a drive to the hoop.
Kaitlin McCarthy and Grapevine hit back-to-back goals to regain the lead for the Rockets, 39-37, before Tondo and Stephens combined for 10 unanswered points (Stephens getting six and Tondo four) for a 47-39 lead,
After McCarthy cut the deficit to six, 47-41, Tondo finished off the win for McDonald with a goal and two foul shots.
Schrader and Palumbo each added seven points for Lowellville and McCarthy had six.
kovach@vindy.com