Huge 4th quarter comeback propels Crestwood to a big 44-37 win over Rootstown
MANTUA, OH- Tuesday night in Mantua was a primetime Portage County and CVC girls basketball matchup between the host Crestwood Red Devils and visiting Rootstown Rovers. Crestwood was looking for their third straight win on the young season while the Rovers looked to move to 4-0. After trailing by eight through three quarters, the Lady Devils would pitch a shutout outscoring the Rovers 15-0 in the 4th for a big 44-37 win.
Rootstown started fast with Colbie Curall nailing a three followed by a Cloe Bengston bucket to give them a quick 5-0 lead.
Cloe Bengston scores on the fastbreak for Rootstown in the 1st
It would be a 10-2 run to start the game for the Rovers. Crestwood cut it down to five at 12-7 after a Reese Harper score inside before Colbie Curall pushed it back out to eight with a three.
Crestwood would finish the quarter with three free throws as the Rovers held a 15-10 lead after one.
Rootstown would begin the 2nd quarter scoring five of the first seven points after a Cloe Bengston three off of a rebound put the Rovers up double figures at 21-11.
Cloe Bengston swishes a 3 for Rootstown in the 2nd
The Red Devils would then go on an 8-1 run cutting it to a three point game at 22-19 following back to back buckets by Reese Harper. Rootstown would quickly put an end to the Lady Devils run after back to back three’s by Eva Tishma and Bengston. Tishma would hit another three shortly after giving the Rovers an 11 point lead. They would hold the double digit lead 33-23 going into the half.
It was a very low scoring 3rd quarter with only 10 total points scored between the two teams. Crestwood would outscore them 6-4 but still trailed 37-29 after three.
The 4th quarter was a thing of beauty for the Lady Red Devils. They would start the quarter on a 7-0 run cutting the deficit to one. Then following a pair of free throw misses by the Rovers, Madie Grace Gonzcy hit a huge three to give Crestwood their first lead of the game at 39-37.
Madie Grace Gonzcy with a big time three giving Crestwood their first lead of the game in the 4th
The Lady Devils put the clamps down defensively while continuing to pull away late in the 4th. Reese Harper capped off her monster game with a big score inside off the feed from Ava Lincoln to put Crestwood up 6 with under two minutes to play.
Reese Harper scores inside for the Lady Devils in the 4th
Crestwood would get another point on a Lincoln free throw split the rest of the way while pitching a shutout in the 4th outscoring Rootstown 15-0 en route to the 44-37 win. The Lady Devils shook off the Rootstown signature press that gave them issues in the first half to turn the tides in the second half and come away with a big confidence building win.
Reese Harper was huge for Crestwood posting a big double/double with 23 points and 18 rebounds. Madie Grace Gonzcy had 8 points and 6 steals while Liv Martini contributed 7 points and 6 steals. Cloe Bengston led the Rovers with 11 points.
Crestwood will look for their fourth win in a row when they host Kirtland on 12/12 while the Rovers look to bounce back against Chagrin Falls.
