Devils recover for 35-32 win
By Tom Williams
The victory keeps Campbell atop the AAC Blue Tier standings.
CAMPBELL — After watching Champion sophomore Paige Loychik score 10 straight points to wipe out a nine-point lead, the Campbell Memorial High girls basketball team responded with a defensive surge for Wednesday’s 35-32 victory.
The Red Devils had limited the Golden Flashes to 20 points in the first three quarters in the All-American Conference Blue Tier first-place showdown.
Loychik took charge, scoring the game’s next 10 points (one 3-pointer, two baskets and three free throws) to give the Golden Flashes’ a 30-29 lead with four minutes to go.
On their heels, the Red Devils turned up their defense, limiting the Flashes to one free throw apiece by Briana Lewis and Lindsay Swipas the rest of the way.
“It’s a huge win for our program,” Campbell coach Mike Szenborn said. “These kids have worked their tails off to compete for the conference. And Champion is a tough team.”
The victory gave the Red Devils (10-2, 5-0) sole possession of first place in the AAC Blue Tier.
Junior Iesha Moses and senior Jayaira Grhim each scored 10 points for the Red Devils.
“This is real big,” Moses said. “This could be our first [conference crown in a long time].”
Loychik netted 16 points to lead the Flashes (12-3, 4-1).
“We’ve come to expect a lot of Paige and they were putting a lot of pressure on her,” Champion coach Jeff Thompson said. “Paige showed a lot of character to start the fourth quarter.”
Triggering the Red Devils’ defense was senior point guard Tashira Uceta whose seven steals contributed to the Flashes’ 28 turnovers.
“Hands down, she’s the best defender I’ve seen in a long time,” Szenborn said. “She has a constant energy about her, never gives up. She’s our sparkplug — her pressure makes our whole defense go.”
Grhim said Uceta “does a lot for our team. Defensively, she’s great.”
Szenborn said he was pleased with how his team responded after Loychik’s fourth-quarter spurt.
“During the 10-0 run, I wanted to slow the game down but our girls got a little excited,” Szenborn said. “We took some shots that we probably shouldn’t have taken.
“Paige is a great player,” Szenborn said. “She’s’ a leader and she makes plays happen. We just tried to limit her possessions. “We tried to get a hand in her face ... and she made some tough shots.”
Grhim credited “teamwork and dedication” to the Devils’ final surge.
“We had worked too hard to just give it away,” Grhim said.
After Lewis gave the Flashes a 31-29 lead, Uceta and Grhim each made a free throw for a tie.
Brande Ellington’s free throw gave the Devils the lead. Ellington then drove over Champion post player Mackenzie Kiser for the game’s final basket. “You give up 35 points and you lose a game, you can’t fault your defense,” Thompson said. “I can’t fault the kids for effort. We have to play smarter offensively than we did.”
williams@vindy.com