PEPPER PIKE—With a win at Orange on Wednesday, Perry would have locked up the Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division title. The host Lions had a different plan and knocked off the Pirates, 65-48.
Orange and Perry are now tied for first place in the league standings with 11-1 records and two conference games left to play.
“We knew they had an outstanding team,” Orange coach Ship Collins said of Perry. “Our goal and our team focus was to play tough man (defense) and get the 50-50 balls. The kids knew what was at stake so we didn’t have to say too much because they were self-motivated.”
Perry took a 15-10 lead into the second quarter but the Lions had three different players score six points each in the second as they outscored the Pirates, 21-11, and led at the break, 31-26.
Orange continued to pull away in the second half.
“We wanted to go on those spurts but I told them at halftime, it’s 0-0 and this is a very good team,” Collins said. “Don’t underestimate your opponent and play as if you’re behind. They did that. They’re tired but that’s what you have to do if you want to be champions.”
Kayden Lawson scored 16 of her game-high 26 points in the second half to lead the Lions.
Casey Smith and Mahogany Sanford also scored in double figures for Orange with 16 and 13 points, respectively.
Jessica Hudson-Turpin contributed to the win with six points and Kennedy Vickers and Marissa Munsell both finished with two points.
“Each person on that roster that we have stepped up,” Collins said. “If they were in, they were scrapping, and if they weren’t, they were cheering and uplifting. It was a complete team win. The coaches were into it too. My assistant coaches, I can’t say enough about them. “
Elle Infalvi led the Pirates with 18 points. She drained four 3-pointers in the first half to keep Perry in the game. Madyson Hacking and Marcela Rodriguez also reached double figures for the Pirates with 13 and 10, respectively.
Perry’s struggles in the second half started with its inability to slow down Lawson. Orange then held to Pirates to just one field goal in the fourth quarter.
“We knew we had to come out and stop their scorers, stop Lawson, try to take away their penetration to the basket and we didn’t do a very good job of it,” Perry coach Roy Infalvi said. “All our goals are still in front of us. We’re tied for the conference lead with two games left, so our focus goes on to Geneva, we play them Saturday and Hawken on Monday. If we take care of business then we still at least share the conference (title).”
Orange improved to 15-4 overall while Perry dropped to 16-3.
