Neither Allen Community College nor Neosho Community College entered Monday’s game with the record they hoped to have when the season began, but each side wanted to add a rivalry win to their resume.
The Panthers were able to prevail and add the 77-62 win and coast to a convincing victory.
They used their press and ball pressure to frustrate the Red Devils and force 18 turnovers. The starting backcourt of Ashley Washington, Haley Wilson and Josie Reilly committed 14 of those turnovers.
“We challenged our kids after not playing very well against Coffeyville,” Neosho coach J.J. Davis said. “We had a full practice this morning at 10 a.m. to make sure we had their attention and they came out and answered the bell.”
Neosho starts a lineup with four guards and versatile forward Makayla Bell which allows them to pressure for the entire game.
Despite Neosho’s quick start, Allen took a 31-27 lead into the locker room at halftime and looked to have solved their problems against the press as they were breaking it in the second quarter and getting open threes in transition.
“We stopped turning the ball over and it gave us the opportunity to score, but not only score but score early and in our transition game,” Allen coach Todd Buchanan said.
Wilson, Washington and Ashley Sally were the main benefactors, connecting on all nine of Allen’s successful three-pointers.
“We all fed off each other,” Washington said.
Coming out of the half, the Panthers raised the level of their pressure and the Red Devils could not answer. Red Devil turnovers led to Panther points time after time.
“They went on a 16-2 run in the first couple of minutes of the third quarter and they never looked back,” Buchanan said. “We could never recover from it. We couldn’t get out of our own way.”
Neosho finished the game with 23 points off turnovers.
“We busted our tail to get back in the game and take the lead, all the momentum was on our side and I don’t know,” Buchanan said. “It is like the bigger the moment is the more we shut down.”
Kascity Martin led a balanced Panther squad with 18 points and six steals. Brooke Neal added 15 points while Ashlynd Horton and Bianca Valderrama each scored 12. Bell rounded out the double figures scorers with 10.
“When you get some buckets in transition that helps,” Davis said.
Wilson led all scorers with 22 points, but the Red Devil sophomore had an off-night percentage-wise by going 7 of 19 and 4 for 14 from beyond the arc.
Washington added 15 points, but also had her struggles and only shot 5 of 15 and 3 for 11 from three-point range.
The Red Devils return to the court Wednesday when they play host to Coffeyville Community College.
Allen women squander halftime lead to Panthers
