Twinsburg Girls' Win Sets Up Huge Matchup With Canton McKinley

Ashley Morrissette admitted the Twinsburg girls’ basketball team was looking too far ahead.

All the Tigers had to do was walk through Wadsworth, whom they had beaten by 20 points earlier in the season, to face Canton McKinley for the third year in a row at the regional level.

But the weight of expectations inspired lethargy in the Tigers throughout much of their Division I regional semifinal, and it appeared for a while their revenge against the Bulldogs might have to wait another year.

But with seconds left in the game, Morrissette twirled, whirled and willed Twinsburg to the Division I regional finals with a scooping, hook of a shot with 1.3 seconds remaining for a 45-43 win over Wadsworth at Canton Memorial Civic Center on Tuesday night.

“It was just great,” an exhausted Morrissette said. “I’m just speechless, right now.”

After composing herself, she put into perceptive what the following game means for her team in facing the mighty Bulldogs (25-0) who crushed Lyndhurst Brush, 74-21, in the other semifinal. The teams will play Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

“This will be my second year in a row (facing Canton McKinley), but for others like Katie Fox and Nicole Carman, this will be their third year. Hopefully, we can get it for them this time,” said Morrissette, who finished with a team-high 23 points.

Twinsburg (24-0) faces its nemesis in Canton McKinley, the No. 1-ranked team in Division I girls’ basketball, according to the Associated Press. Twinsburg is ranked No. 2.

Canton McKinley is the defending champion and part of their journey last year included sinking the Tigers in the regional final, 53-43. It will be the third straight season the two teams have faced each other in the regionals. The Bulldogs also won, 45-43, in the regional semifinals in 2009.

Coach Julie Solis can now stop talking about the teams in the Tigers’ way to the Bulldogs and focus squarely on their rival.

“This is the game everybody’s been waiting for all year,” Solis said. “This is the talk that’s been happening. We’ve finally gotten to this point. We’ve gotten to this game. And now we’ll see what happens.”

The Grizzlies (20-5) held the lead throughout a tense fourth quarter until Morrissette stole the ball and drove in for a layup to take the lead, 40-39, at 2:27. After a basket by Taylor Woods briefly regained the lead for Wadsworth, Malina Howard hit a turnaround shot to regain the advantage for Twinsburg, 42-41.

Howard tipped away a pass attempt for a steal that eventually led to her getting fouled during the possession and going to the line, where she converted 1-of-2 free throws for a 43-41 lead at 1:17.

LaShawna Gatewood fouled Woods and sent her to the line where she converted two to tie the game, 43-43, with 23.3 seconds remaining, setting up Morrissette’s game-winning play.

“She brought us to the table,” Solis said of Morrissette. “She has on her mind on what she wants. I knew who I wanted to have the ball at that time … I can’t say enough about her,” Solis said.

Without Morrissette, Twinsburg might have gotten blown out in the first half as Morrissette had 13 of Twinsburg’s 22 points.

Wadsworth gained an early advantage as Taylor Woods canned a 3-pointer and Robyn Rotterschmidt converted a pair of passes from Woods and Peyton Booth to give the Grizzlies a 7-2 lead to open the game.

But Morrissette rallied the Tigers by scoring the team’s next seven points as she converted a steal into a layup, canned a 3-pointer and hit another jumper at the end of the quarter to draw the Tigers even, 11-11, to finish a 9-4 run.

The Tigers continued their cold spell to open the second quarter as the Grizzlies took advantage.  Kara Long netted a 3-pointer from the left wing to cap a 7-0 run and gave the Grizzlies the lead, 18-11, at 4:26. After a Tigers timeout, Morrissette immediately answered with a 3-pointer of her own that began a 9-2 run.  Fox nailed a 3-pointer to tie the score, 20-20, and Morrissette hit a jumper in the lane to give the Tigers the lead at halftime.

Woods spearheaded the Grizzlies' attack in the third quarter, scoring nine of her team-high 19 points in the third quarter. The two teams exchanged the lead four times early in the quarter. Woods had two 3-pointers including one that gave them lead, 28-26, at 4:42 which the Grizzlies held for the remainder of the third.

Twinsburg   11 11 10 13 45

Wadsworth 11 9   15  8  43

Twinsburg: Ashley Morrissette 23, Malina Howard 13, Leah Fechko 2, LaShawna Gatewood 4, Katie Fox 3.

Wadsworth: Jessie Gearhart 6, Taylor Woods 19, Peyton Booth 3, Christy Cingel  4, Kara Long 5, Sabrina Parsons 2, Robyn Rotterschmidt 4.