PLYMOUTH – A good start turned into a rough night at the gym as Plymouth dropped a big decision to Mishawaka Marian 71-40.
The Lady Pilgrims jumped out to a 5-0 lead but from there it would be a Marian landslide as the Knights full-court pressure took its toll on Plymouth pushing them to a 20-10 lead by the end of the first quarter.
“There were stretches in the first quarter where we competed with them,” said Plymouth coach Dave Duncan. “I thought as the game went on we mentally got tired and we didn’t help our guards out front against the press.”
“Obviously that’s what we are going to see a lot as the season goes on,” he said. “That is what the emphasis in practice will be. Breaking presses, finishing cuts, and doing the little things to get better.”
Marian’s pressure broke down the Plymouth offense time and again leading to seven turnovers in the first quarter and 22 on the night. Points off those turnovers kept Marian with a large lead for the entire night.
The Knights put the game completely out of reach in the third quarter putting 25 points on the board in that quarter allowing 13 to the Lady Pilgrims.
Even with the press called off at the midway point in the third, Plymouth seemed out of sorts against a very athletic Marian squad.
“It seems like we left Lindsay (Janus) on an island because we didn’t finish cuts and go to the ball,” said Duncan. “We may have a practice of simply running that cut to the middle and trying to get better in that area.”
“We talked about coming to the ball and little things that you want your team to do and we didn’t do a lot of those things tonight.”
A very talented Knight team had three players in double figures scoring – Makaya Porter (19), Nevaeh Foster (17) and McKenzie Hudgens (23) – with Hudgens adding six steals and five rebounds.
While the Marian defense forced a multitude of errors by the Lady Pilgrims they had just three turnovers of their own in the game.
On a night where there was little to cheer about Plymouth’s Tallulah Gault was able to lead the Lady Pilgrims with a second solid offensive night off the bench putting 17 on the board 12 of those in the second half. Taylor Delp had yet another big night on the boards with eight rebounds.
“We told our three bigs that at any time they could be the starter,” said Duncan. “I can see Tallulah and Clare (Sheedy) or Tallulah and Taylor or the three starting together.”
Lindsay Janus was able to put together a solid floor game with six rebounds and five assists.
Plymouth is 1-2 on the season and will take on Michigan City at home on Saturday. It will be a varsity only contest starting at 1 p.m.
*MARIAN 71, PLYMOUTH 40
at Plymouth
Plymouth 10 17 30 40
Marian 20 35 60 71
Plymouth (40) – Cook 0 2-2 2, Hunter 3 0-2 8, Janus 2 0-1 5, Delp 1 0-2 2, M. Mann 0 0-0 0, Dragani 0 0-0 0, Gault 8 0-0 17, Dejarnett 0 0-0 0, R. Mann 0 0-0 0, Sheedy 3 0-0 6. Totals 17 2-7 40
Marian (71) – Bethel 3 0-0 7, Porter 8 2-6 19, Foster 7 2-3 17, Echols 1 0-0 2, Schade 1 0-12, Hudgen 7 3-4 20, Alexander 1 0-0 2, Rangel 0 0-0 0, Gruber 1 0-0 2, Burch 1 0-0 2. Totals 29 7-14 71.
3Pt. FG – Plymouth 4 (Hunter 2), Marian 6 (Hudgen 3).
Rebounds – Plymouth 27 (Delp 8), Marian 25 (Foster, Hudgen 5).
Assists – Plymouth 9 (Janus 5), Marian 4 (Hudgen 3).
Steals – Plymouth 2 (Hunter), Marian 12 (Hudgen 6).
Turnovers – Plymouth 22, Marian 3.
Fouls (Fouled out) – Plymouth 10, Marian 9.
