LIMA – Ottawa Glandorf utilized a trio of players in double figures Thursday night as they defeated host Bath 41-34 on the road to remain the WBL’s lone unbeaten.
“Anytime you can get out of that gym with a win you’ll take it, this was a big win for us” said Ottawa Glandorf boss Troy Yant after his Titans staved off a late Bath rally for the victory.
Three of Ottawa Glandorf’s K’s led the night as sophomore Kaitlyn Kimmet got the evening started with a four point run and eight of her team high dozen points put the Wildcats on their heels. Bath roared back in the late stages of the opening stanza to within 10-8 behind the duo of Anna Oliver and Rachel Clark who snagged a basket just before the horn.
Clark and Elena Oliver paced the host Wildcats in the second period and helped their team into their first lead with 7:11 on an Oliver three pointer and up to 19-16 with a pair of Clark makes later in the stanza.
OG retook the lead late in the same quarter behind Katie Kaufman and then themselves pulled to within a point of the lead 19-18 thanks to a Karsyn Erford left elbow jumper split the net in front of the halftime stoppage.
Elena Oliver again tripled to give Bath a lead once the third quarter opened but watched it be short lived as the Titans trademark pressure defense forced a handful of Wildcat miscues. Baskets again by the duo of Kaufman and this time a triple by Erford put the guests on top 27-24 with 1:53 remaining.
Over the final minute and change of play in the third the Titans added a 6-0 advantage to their tally on fast break run out markers from Myka Aldrich, Emma Brinkman, and finally Carlie Brinkman as the horn sounded to push a 31-24 mark into the fourth period.
Although they were held to just three makes from the field and a free throw, the Wildcats continued to track down and attempt to erase their visitors lead with their three baskets all coming from outside from Elena Oliver, Faith Clark, and Rachel Clark but were never able to get closer than 33-30 after Oliver’s triple at 5:36.
Teaming up to lead a Titan offensive run once again, Erford and Kaufman accounted for every point for their team in the final eight minutes of play and combined to hit 4/6 from the free throw line to secure the victory for OG.
Defensive plays from the trio of Lily Haselman and Kaelyn Grothause helped to keep Bath junior Claire Foust, a 10.8 point per game scorer without a point for the evening.
“Carlie Brinkman had some nice rotations for the varsity tonight and Myka Aldrich’s buckets were a big lift as we were struggling against their zone defense. I thought Katie did a good job helping hold Foust to zero points as well. We didn’t play our best game but Coach Mauk and the Wildcats have the ability to do that to you, especially at Bath” finished Yant on his view of the game.
Next up for the Wildcats (11-2, 3-2) is a Saturday night 6pm non-conference affair against West Holmes. Elena Oliver led Bath in scoring with 14 and was joined in double figures by Rachel Clark who finished with 11.
Ottawa Glandorf improves to 12-2 on the season and in the drivers seat in the Western Buckeye League where they move to 5-0.
Kaitlyn Kimmet’s 12 paced the Titans while Katie Kaufman added 11 and Karsyn Erford pushed across 10 for her eighth double figure effort in just the 14th game of her career. Saturday the Titans will be in action at 1:30pm as they host rival Ottoville as part of Young Lady Titan Day celebrations that will take place at the Supreme Court.
Scoring:
OG (41):
Karsyn Erford 10
Emma Brinkman 2
Myka Aldrich 4
Carlie Brinkman 2
Kaitlyn Kimmet 12
Katie Kaufman 11
FG: 16/33
3PT: 1/6 (Erford)
FT: 8/11
TO: 18
Bath (34):
Faith Clark 3
Rachel Clark 11
Anne Oliver 6
Elena Oliver 14
FG: 13/36
3PT: 5/17 (E. Oliver 3, R. Clark, F. Clark)
FT: 3/4
TO: 16
JV: OG 36-15 (Titans JV 14-0)