In final preparation before the postseason, Avon falls to River

As is always the case, one coach was happier than the other following Rocky River’s girls basketball victory Feb. 12 over visiting Avon. But this time, at least both coaches got what they wanted.

It was the regular season finale for both teams, which means one thing—tournament preparation. The 46-37 victory for the Pirates in many ways resembled a tournament game: low-scoring, physical, defensive and intense.

“It was a good end to our regular season, kind of getting us into tournament mode,” said Avon coach Adam Castrilla. “Of course, you want it to be different on the scoreboard, but it was a great way to end the regular season. This is nothing to hang your head about. They’re a really good team.”

Rocky River coach Jamey Pfahl said, “Adam and I talked before the game, and we said, ‘This is great. We’re excited.’”

The 18-4 Pirates, who ended the regular season as outright winners of the Cleveland West Conference, are the No. 7 seed in the Northeast District in Division III. They will host No. 40 Alliance in their tournament opener at 4 p.m. Feb. 21. Avon, which ended at 8-14, is in Division II and has its tournament draw Feb. 15.

As for the victory over the Eagles, Rocky River had a bit more offensive depth than did Avon, as Elizabeth Lang led all players with 16 points before fouling out, Nora Bruder had 13 points before leaving late the game with cramps, and Claudia Roche had 10 points, with seven coming in the second half. The Eagles were topped by Alaina Pagan with 13 points, Abby Owens with 11 and Sophia Sharp with six.

Things started well for the visitors, who led for the first 16 minutes of the game. The Eagles had an early 10-5 lead and were up, 11-7, after one period. However, consecutive 3-pointers by Bruder and Roche midway through the second quarter gave the Pirates a 15-13 lead that they would never relinquish.

River played most of the opening quarter in a man-to-man defense, but things started to get tougher for Avon once the Pirates began playing zone. The hosts alternated between a 1-3-1 and a 2-3 while sprinkling in a 2-2-1 press, and it had an immediate effect. After taking a 13-9 lead early in the second period, Avon would only score one point in the remaining 7 minutes of the half and went to the locker room facing a 20-14 deficit.

“I think we started to let their length and their size in the paint get in our head a little bit,” Castrilla said. “I’m not taking anything away from them, but I think there were a few where if we go back and look on film that we were anticipating a blocked shot, or just because a person was there, maybe we didn’t finish it the way that I know we can. A lot of that comes with experience.”

At this point, an unsung hero stepped up for Rocky River. Olivia Dewey only scored three points for the Pirates, but the junior made her presence felt in the locker room at halftime.

“I have to mention Olivia Dewey and her leadership,” Pfahl said. “We go in at halftime, and it wasn’t our best half of the year. We as coaches talk, and then, as we’re walking back there, we hear her talking and when we walk into the room, she’s standing up and talking to the team. Olivia’s leadership was a big part of this victory, too.”

The third quarter and the first half of the fourth quarter featured a pattern of the Eagles scoring a few points to get back into the game and then the Pirates pulling away. Four times River led by eight points, but each time Avon got back within range, the last time being 35-30 with 4:48 to play.

That’s when Lang took over the game, scoring eight consecutive points on plays in the paint. She had two layups, one after an offensive rebound and one on a feed from Bruder, and hit four free throws, two after being fouled on a layup attempt and two after grabbing an offensive rebound. The junior did all of that despite being saddled with four fouls. She eventually fouled out with 1:11 to play, but the damage had been done.

“She got a little frustrated with the fouls, but she was like, ‘Give me the ball,’” Pfahl said. “She demanded the ball, which we’ve been telling her to do. She got it and she finished it for us.”

Owens ran off seven consecutive points for Avon in the final minute to cut it to 43-37, and the Pirates made three of four free throws in the final 20 seconds to put the game away.