SOUTH BEND – It was a memorable night as Plymouth’s Lady Pilgrims (14-6) took a 49-34 win over South Bend Clay (5-15) to keep their current five game winning streak alive, but the biggest sotry of the night was the entry of Plymouth senior Hunter Stevens into the Plymouth record books.
A free throw with 4:53 to play in the game gave Stevens her 12th point of the game – the 1000th of her career – the first Plymouth Lady Pilgrim to reach that mark. Earlier in the game Stevens surpassed Elaine (Hessel) Sommers as the number one career scorer in Plymouth history.
It certainly wasn’t something that was on her mind four years ago when she entered the program.
“When I came in as a freshman I had no idea what any of it was,” said Stevens. “ I remember as a freshman coach (Dave) Cox called me in and said ‘Hunter you made all conference’ and I said ‘That’s great. What is that?’ Since then I had a goal to do this, among other goals. Then I didn’t even know it was possible.”
Stevens and the Lady Pilgrims survived a slow start with some aggressive defense that once again forced lopsided turnover numbers. Plymouth forced 20 Clay errors and made just six turnovers themselves. Stevens had a rough night shooting but revived to give an offensive spark in the second half.
“I haven’t been this kind of nervous for a game since my freshman year. I get anxious nervous always but never sick to my stomach nervous,” she said. “I don’t know usually.I don’t care about points I don’t ever keep track. I was getting frustrated with myself. I’ve made harder shots before, but it is what it is.”
What it is, is a night that she will never forget.
“It’s everything, not just this game,” she said. “My team mates and my coaches and my dad coming in everyday after practice to help me accomplish this goal. I wouldn’t be here without the assists and the coaches and God for giving me the ability to play.”
“I can’t congratulate Hunter enough or say enough about her and what she means to the program,” said Dave Duncan head coach of the Lady Pilgrims. “She’s very deserving of the honor.”
Duncan watched his team revive for a second straight time and a second straight win.
“I thought at the beginning of the game we played a little tight,” said Duncan. “I thought in that second half finally we got a little better ball movement and our shots were able to fall because we took better shots. First half we got our shots blocked by them. We told our kds getting your shot blocked isn’t a good shot.”
Once again it was defensive pressure and baskets in transition that helped turn the tide.
“That’s two or three games in a row we came out and trapped really well, We made them come out and do things they really didn’t want to do with the basketball,” said Duncan. “I thought we would handle the zone a little bit easier, I think we were pushing a little too much at the beginning. Our ball movement got better when we settled down.”
Score by Quarters
Clay 11 15 22 34
Plymouth 7 23 39 49
Plymouth (49) – A. Harrell 0 0-0 0, Stevens 6 3-5 15, Andrews 0 0-0 0, Fosler 4 2-4 11, H. Harrell 1 2-2 5, Wright 2 0-0 4, Morwood 0 0-0 0, Stephenson 0 4-6 4, Horvath 5 0-0 10. Totals 18 11-17 49.
Clay (34) – Williams 1 0-2 2, Russell 4 1-2 11, Lake 0 0-0 0, Hall 1 0-1 2, Batteast 1 0-0 2, Baylor 7 0-0 14, Davis 1 0-0 3, Vines 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 2-7 34.
3Pt. FG – Clay 2-11 (Russell 2), Plymouth Plymouth 2-10 (Fosler, Harrell).
Rebounds – Clay 32 (Baylor 12), Plymouth 26 (Fosler 6).
Assists – Clay 9 (Hall 4), Plymouth Plymouth 9 (Harrell 3).
Steals Clay 2 (Russell, Batteast), Plymouth 15 (Wright 4).
Turnovers – Clay 20, Plymouth 6.
Fouls (Fouled Out) – Clay 12, Plymouth 17.
