The Real Deahl: C-N post helps Royals stuff Mustangs
By TOM RENAUDArticle Photos
LE GRAND - If Samie Deahl's in, the Royals can win.
That's how Colo-NESCO girls' basketball coach Wayne Cafferty summed up his 6-foot-2 post player's importance to the team after a 37-35 non-conference road win over East Marshall Monday night.
Deahl, a senior, had a game-high 15 points to go along with 11 rebounds and six blocked shots while patrolling the paint in the Royals' 2-3 zone.
She also took three charges as Cafferty recorded his 250th win with Colo-NESCO.
"Her presence in there is unreplaceable," Cafferty said, calling it Deahl's best defensive performance. "The games we've been able to compete in, she's been in. The games we've gotten blown out in, she's been in foul trouble.
"If she's in the game, it doesn't give the other team layups. It denies shots because they're worried about getting blocked."
East Marshall head coach Rob Drake agreed: "I think (Deahl) made a big difference whether it was inside with our post or just dribble penetration," he said. "Our guards tried to shoot over her. We told them they had to kick out if they wanted to shoot."
East Marshall (7-3) made only 2-of-16 tries from 3-point range and scored just three points in the third quarter.
But it was the Mustangs' overall energy level - or lack thereof - that stood out for Drake.
"We didn't have any effort on defense," said Drake. "Even though we only gave up 37 points we didn't play with any enthusiasm or effort. I would say overall, that was the poorest energy we've had.
"I can't pinpoint it."
A three-point play by Jennifer McMeekin staked the Mustangs to an 11-3 lead with 1:47 left in the opening quarter.
But the Royals (2-5) stormed back with the period's final nine points, getting five points from Sydney Halferty during the spurt.
East Marshall trailed 24-22 at halftime before things got icy in the third - the teams combined for just nine points, with East Marshall getting off the schneid on an Abby Nuese free throw at the 3:08 mark.
Trailing 30-25 going into the fourth, East Marshall got baskets from Heather Eash, Nuese, Noel Hoover and Alyssa Whitmore to go up 33-30.
But the Royals' Paige Gaedke scored twice inside, Alyssa Speake added a layup and Colo-NESCO never relinquished its lead.
East Marshall got one final chance after Halferty made 1-of-2 foul shots with 10 seconds left, but failed to get a shot off.
"We haven't held on before so it was good for us to get behind and then come back and be able to make some plays," Cafferty said. "We went after rebounds and we didn't give them an easy shot."
C-N's Halferty totaled eight points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Eash led East Marshall with 10 points.
Hoover had six rebounds and Nuese four assists.
