Canfield holds off big Columbiana comeback

February 12, 2015 at 12:07a.m.

By Ryan buck

Canfield

Despite leading by as many as 15 points, Canfield had to sweat out a 64-60 victory over visiting Columbiana on Wednesday night.

Canfield senior forward Erin Risner scored 20 points and classmate Rachel Tinkey had 16 as the Cardinals’ decided size advantage carried them through three quarters.

The Clippers then slowly chipped away at a 12-point deficit before a Brynn Pennel 3-pointer brought Columbiana to within five at 61-56 and four Baylie Mook free throws had Columbiana within three with 4.2 seconds left in regulation.

Lynnae Whitehead successfully inbounded to Tinkey under the Canfield basket and the savvy point guard was finally fouled with 1.1 seconds left. She converted one of the two ensuing free throws to finally close the door on the outmanned Clippers.

“[Columbiana] has some girls who stepped up and made some shots,” said Canfield coach Matt Reel. “We expected this game. We didn’t execute really well at the end, but give credit to them. They played really well, I thought.”

Of the height advantage — Risner and fellow forward Emily Ellis are 5-feet-10 while Tinkey is a 5-8 guard — Reel said:

“We know we have two pretty good post players in there and I thought Erin Risner really played well tonight and Emily played well tonight, too. We couldn’t stand prosperity tonight. We’d build a lead and do something — but give [Columbiana] credit.”

Mook scored a team-high 18 points — eight in the fourth quarter —for Columbiana. Pennel, who made four 3-pointers, had 16 points.

After an 8-1 Canfield run to close the first half, the Cardinals led 48-33 with 38 seconds left in the third quarter.

With the Clippers struggling from the field and succumbing to Canfield’s full-court press, Tinkey, Whitehead and Ashley Kaleel began one fast break after another that often resulted in Risner, Ellis or another forward getting easy transition baskets.

“We like to run the court,” said Ellis, who complemented Risner’s output with 10 points of her own. “We know Erin’s really fast and she can get downcourt faster than most bigger girls. We like to run and get easier shots and spend less time on defense.”

With Canfield’s final onslaught behind them, the Clippers’ Emily Witmer cut the deficit to 60-51 with 1:30 left and after a pair of missed Cardinals’ free throws, Pennel hit a 3 with 41 seconds left. Kaleel split a pair of free throws and Tinkey followed suit.

Mook made four of her own on consecutive possessions as Canfield — which was just six of 17 foul shots — struggled at the line and with Columbiana’s desperation defense.

Columbiana coach Ron Moschella willed his team back in the fourth quarter in his own unmistakable style.

“Canfield’s a good team,” he said. “They’ve got a lot of height and we don’t. They played really well the first three quarters, but I thought our kids made a great comeback.”

The disparity in the schools’ sizes was not lost in the postgame message.

“I thought at the beginning of the game we had too many turnovers,” Moschella said. “I thought we were a little hesitant that, ‘This is Canfield and we’re lowly Columbiana. I thought our girls were not real secure playing and then we found out that, ‘We can play with these kids,’ and they did.”

The Cardinals and Clippers will enter the Division I and IV tournaments, respectively.