By Greg Gielczyk
LocalSportsJournal.com

BIG RAPIDS — The Ludington girls basketball team used a late fourth-quarter surge to turn back a quality Clare team for a 45-34 victory in a Division 2 regional semifinal Monday night at Big Rapids.

It improved the Orioles record to 19-7 on the season and sends them on to the regional championship game at 7 p.m. Wednesday night in Petoskey. Clare finished 19-6.

Ludington will face Negaunee, which defeated the host school 43-29 in the other semifinal. Negaunee is 24-1.

Clare gave the Orioles fits with its zone defense and forced several uncharacteristic turnovers that short-circuited Ludington’s offense for the majority of the game.

“Great atmosphere, and a great game. Clare is a really good team, and they gave us fits all night long,” said Orioles coach Warren Stowe. “I was really happy that we found our way on top. We battled through a little bit of adversity there at the beginning of the fourth quarter and found our way back. I’m very proud of the girls.”

The Pioneers got off to a good start, taking a 5-1 lead. But the Orioles came back, behind a 3-point bomb and five points from Madelyn Kenyon to leap ahead, 6-5, late in the first quarter before Clare scored to finish with a 7-6 edge.

Kendra Fouts, the Pioneers’ junior sharp sniper, hit a 3-pointer to push her team out to a four-point lead, 10-6, to start the second quarter.

Although the Pioneers held the lead the rest of the half, the Orioles did not slip too far behind. Jennah Skiba converted an offensive rebound and Elianna Jeruzal buryied a triple to make it a three-point difference, 14-11, at the break.

“The defense was good all night and the defense was great for Clare,” Stowe said. “They’re running a 1-2-2 similar to us, and they do a really great job of matching up out of that. We just had trouble all night long finding any rhythm on the offensive end, and that’s a testament to their coach and their kids. They do a really good job of adjusting to your alignment, but staying true to what they’re trying to do defensively.”

Jeruzal scored five points, including another 3-pointer, while Peyton Welch drove the baseline for a bucket and Jordyn Anderson put back an offensive rebound as the Orioles opened a 25-19 lead with three minutes left in the quarter.

Kenyon stretched that to eight, 28-20 and Ludington outscored the Pioneers, 17-8 for a 28-22 lead going into the final period.

Clare went on an 8-0 run to start the fourth, with Fouts knocking down a pair of triples and tied the score at 30-all.

It was tied again at 32-32 before the Orioles answered with an 8-0 spurt of their own and regained an eight-point lead, 40-32, with 1:30 left in the game.

Ludington made 7-of-8 at the free-throw line in the final two minutes, with Emma McKinley sinking 4-of-4 down the stretch to lead the way. The Orioles had a 15-12 edge in the final quarter.

“I think we all knew in the halftime locker room (the first half) was not a representation of who we are,” added Stowe. “Especially on the offensive end. We might have to work hard for our offense, but we do work hard. I don’t feel like we maybe had offensive possessions where we were trying to outwork Clare.

“But, we responded in the second half and just did a really great job. I thought our press looked better of getting in gaps, and our jump switches were big.”

Jeruzal paced the Orioles with 12 points, Kenyon and Anderson finished with 10 apiece and Welch added seven.

Fouts led all scorers with 25 points, including four 3-pointers. Sophia Buzzelli contributed six points.

Take a look at photos from the acton shot by Joe Washington.