Union County upends Northeastern 41-34 in Sectional Semi-Final
February 8, 2023 at 8:40 p.m.
The Union County Lady Patriots did it – beat 16-9 Northeastern to advance to the 2023 IHSAA Class 2A Girls Basketball Sectional Championship game at Hagerstown last week.
Union County’s 41-34 win was a well-deserved victory by a team that was not favored to win, including by their coach.
“We are small with no height,” Gray said at the top of every interview. “We are quick and shoot the ball well – if we only had a big girl...”
But Gray put seven “big” girls on the court against NE to get the job done.
UC opened with a Brooke Fields driving basket, 2-0. NE’s Kamyrn McFarland matched it and added another to give the Knights their only lead in the game (4-2). UC erased that lead with an 11-point run at the end of the first period.
NE enjoyed a 7-0 run in the second quarter. NE posted a 7-0 run after halftime and an 11-point run to close out the game, but it mattered little when the final buzzer sounded.
Union County’s size or the lack of size is a big advantage in creating turnovers (steals) without opponents knowing what happened. Quickness is something coaches might be able to develop in a player, but natural quickness improves scoring ability from all over the court.
Coming into sectional, Union County was on a 7-win string. Purdue Polytechnical was the first to fall (50-43), then Adams Central, 42-28; Connersville, 37-19, Eastern Hancock won, 41-22; Randolph Southern, 46-28; Union City, 48-34; Knightstown, 32-24; Daleville, 54-17; Lincoln 53-19; Centerville, 57-25. Now Northeastern makes it 11 out of 12!
Then this year’s 41-34 championship victory over favored Northeastern was clearly an upset to everyone but UC’s team and coaching staff.
The Lady Patriots were positive going in and came out winners.
Quarter scores
Northeastern 4 11 22 34
Union County 12 21 27 41
NORTHEASTERN (16-9) Mikesell 4-2/5-11, Kircher 1-0-2, Slick 4-0-9, Mastriano 5-0/1-10, Cami Angi 1-0-2. TOTALS: 15-2/6-34.
UNION COUNTY (15-9) Fields 7-3/7-17, Carly McCashland 0-2/2-2, Katie McCashland 5-1/2-13, Ally Gray 0-0-0, Shelby Hill 2-5/6-9, Peityn Gillman 0-0-0, Hallie Hughes 0-0-0. TOTALS: 14-11/17-41.
Rebounds-NE 26 (Mastriano 10). UC 21 (Gray 6.).
Turnovers-NE 23 UC 16.
Fouls-NE 8. UC 9.
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The Union County Lady Patriots did it – beat 16-9 Northeastern to advance to the 2023 IHSAA Class 2A Girls Basketball Sectional Championship game at Hagerstown last week.
Union County’s 41-34 win was a well-deserved victory by a team that was not favored to win, including by their coach.
“We are small with no height,” Gray said at the top of every interview. “We are quick and shoot the ball well – if we only had a big girl...”
But Gray put seven “big” girls on the court against NE to get the job done.
UC opened with a Brooke Fields driving basket, 2-0. NE’s Kamyrn McFarland matched it and added another to give the Knights their only lead in the game (4-2). UC erased that lead with an 11-point run at the end of the first period.
NE enjoyed a 7-0 run in the second quarter. NE posted a 7-0 run after halftime and an 11-point run to close out the game, but it mattered little when the final buzzer sounded.
Union County’s size or the lack of size is a big advantage in creating turnovers (steals) without opponents knowing what happened. Quickness is something coaches might be able to develop in a player, but natural quickness improves scoring ability from all over the court.
Coming into sectional, Union County was on a 7-win string. Purdue Polytechnical was the first to fall (50-43), then Adams Central, 42-28; Connersville, 37-19, Eastern Hancock won, 41-22; Randolph Southern, 46-28; Union City, 48-34; Knightstown, 32-24; Daleville, 54-17; Lincoln 53-19; Centerville, 57-25. Now Northeastern makes it 11 out of 12!
Then this year’s 41-34 championship victory over favored Northeastern was clearly an upset to everyone but UC’s team and coaching staff.
The Lady Patriots were positive going in and came out winners.
Quarter scores
Northeastern 4 11 22 34
Union County 12 21 27 41
NORTHEASTERN (16-9) Mikesell 4-2/5-11, Kircher 1-0-2, Slick 4-0-9, Mastriano 5-0/1-10, Cami Angi 1-0-2. TOTALS: 15-2/6-34.
UNION COUNTY (15-9) Fields 7-3/7-17, Carly McCashland 0-2/2-2, Katie McCashland 5-1/2-13, Ally Gray 0-0-0, Shelby Hill 2-5/6-9, Peityn Gillman 0-0-0, Hallie Hughes 0-0-0. TOTALS: 14-11/17-41.
Rebounds-NE 26 (Mastriano 10). UC 21 (Gray 6.).
Turnovers-NE 23 UC 16.
Fouls-NE 8. UC 9.