Classic in the Country wins propel Wadsworth, Hoban girls basketball teams into this week

The Wadsworth (11-4) and Archbishop Hoban (11-2) girls basketball teams are set to play rivals this week after securing wins in the Classic in the Country at Hiland High School in Berlin.

Wadsworth topped Toledo Notre Dame Academy 30-24 and Hoban defeated Teays Valley 45-38.

Here is a look where Wadsworth and Hoban stand:

Wadsworth girls basketball wins with 'fantastic' defense

Wadsworth is scheduled to host Hudson at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

When asked what he learned about his team in the Classic in the Country, Wadsworth coach Andrew Booth said: "What we learned is to attack adversity. Toledo Notre Dame is a very strong team and a very physical team. There were not a lot of easy opportunities, so we had to take advantage when we had opportunities, especially in the second half when I thought we capitalized on some of those opportunities."

Wadsworth outscored Notre Dame 21-13 in the second half.

"Our point guard, Ana Pinkerton, a junior three-year starter for us, handled their pressure and their defensive intensity," Booth said. "She did a great job for us. In the second half, Natalie McDermitt, another junior for us, hit three big jump-shots, including a 3 that kind of got us a little bit of a cushion. The game was always close. It was a two- or three-point game the whole second half.

"Emily Nagel, a senior guard, is probably the heartbeat of our team on both ends of the court with her hustle. She led us in scoring with eight points. Her tenacity and her heart really carried us through."

Nagel, Pinkerton, McDermitt, senior Brooke Baughman and senior Lyla Wilson are Wadsworth's starters.

"Our defense, especially in the halfcourt, was fantastic Saturday," Booth said.

Wadsworth is accustomed to playing in close games this season, with narrow wins over Ellet (62-59), Jackson (41-40), Brecksville (38-35), Hudson (39-35) and Norton (35-32). Three of the losses are by single digits: 53-49 to Stow, 28-25 to Twinsburg 42-38 to Brecksville.

Baughman made a game-winning 3-pointer in December to lift Wadsworth to a 35-32 win over visiting Norton.

The Grizzlies went 14-10 last season with all 14 wins by double digits and eight of the 10 losses were six points or less.

The Grizzlies have been without one of their top players, sophomore Lauren Decker, who was injured against Stow and has missed six full games since, with Wadsworth going 3-3 in those games.

Hoban girls basketball wins with 'poise down the stretch'

Hoban is scheduled to visit Walsh Jesuit at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

When asked what she learned about her team in the Classic in the Country, Hoban coach Pamela Davis said: "I learned overall that the girls played with a lot of poise down the stretch. The nerves were not evident to me, and the majority of our kids are sophomores and they showed a lot of maturity."

Hoban outscored Teays Valley 28-21 in the second half.

"I really was impressed with [junior] Finley Kennedy," Davis said. "She had nine points and four rebounds. She had two big 3s at the beginning of the third quarter that kind of opened it up from a tie ballgame. We got up by eight during that stretch of time. She played her best game of the year.

"Because we have two kids [sophomores Taylyn Banta and Amariya Davis] that can't play this second half of the season [per an OHSAA transfer rule], I was very happy with Zoey Hodge, who is a sophomore. Zoey took on some of the point guard duties and scored seven points and had three assists. Maya Pooler, a senior, also handles the point guard duties. She scored three points with a shot behind the arc and had zero turnovers in 20 minutes of play.

"... [Sophomore] Niera Stevens led us in scoring with 10 points. She is very explosive. She sees a nice opening and gets to the basket fairly easy. She can score in transition for us. She had a huge quarter two with six of her 10 points."

Hoban senior Mackenzie Edingburgh scored eight points and senior Devin Harris added seven points.

Stevens, Pooler, Edingburgh, Harris and sophomore Makenzie Grant are Hoban's starters.

Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Wadsworth, Hoban earn girls basketball wins at Classic in the Country