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Canfield tightens ‘D’ in 2nd half, drops Poland
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Canfield’s Kayla Barko (12) pressures Poland’s Aleah Hughes (10) as she tries to shoot the ball during the second period of their All-American Conference basketball game Thursday in Poland. The Cardinals defeated the Bulldogs, 56-46.
By Greg gulas
Poland
Sabrina Mangapora scored 28 points and the Canfield defense held Poland to just 19 second-half points as the Cardinals defeated the Bulldogs, 56-46 in All-American Conference, American Division action Thursday at the Poland gymnasium.
With the win the Cardinals (6-4) improved to 3-1 in league play while the Bulldogs (8-3) saw their three-game win streak fall by the wayside, dropping to 3-2 in conference action.
“Coming into tonight’s game we were just 1-4 on the road so yes, this was a very big win for us. We were playing a team that is patient; a team that likes to take it to the hoop,” said Canfield coach Pat Pavlansky. “They got the better of us in the first half and in the second half it was us getting the better of them.”
Kayla Barko
Two triples by Abbie Frank and three points by Maura Bobby keyed a 15-10 second period for Poland as the Bulldogs raced to the 27-22 lead at intermission.
Then Mangapora took control, scoring seven of her team’s first nine points after intermission, keying a 9-1 run that gave the Cardinals a 31-28 margin.
“[Sabrina] Mangapora was the difference in the game tonight,” said Poland coach Nick Blanch. “ She is one of the better big players in the area, if not the best.
“I call her the female Tim Duncan because she is fundamentally sound, just like the San Antonio Spurs star.”
Canfield led the rest of the way, taking a 38-34 lead heading into the fourth.
“Coach [Pavlansky] told us at halftime to stop the wide open 3-point attempts and lay-up opportunities and we would be fine,” Mangapora said. “We also picked up our intensity as well. It’s always a big win when you beat Poland, especially on the road. Give them credit though, because they just kept coming at us the entire game.”
Mangapora added 12 points in the final stanza to seal the victory.
“Offensively, we needed to reverse the ball more and get it inside and that was a big key to our second half success,” said Canfield’s Abby Baker. “Executing defensively was also big.”
Canfield has won 15 straight against Poland, last losing in the 2003-04 season.
“Poland is 8-3 for a reason and I credit coach [Nick] Blanch and his staff for the great job that they have done with the Bulldogs,” Pavlansky stated.
Poland was playing without senior guard Kelsey Malenic, who injured her knee in the Bulldogs’ previous game against East Liverpool. The team is waiting on MRI results.
“The third quarter was the difference in the game,” Blanch said. “We knocked down our open looks in the first half, but started slow in the second half.
“We played big-time basketball without Kelsey and believe me, the overall effort was there tonight. It truly was a team effort for us.”