Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
WAVERLY — After Tuesday’s Division V district semifinal contest, North Adams senior Tatum Grooms said something that stood out.
“I think it’s a little bit of a rebuilding year, but even as a rebuilding year, it’s been a good year so far.”
To put that into context, in a “rebuilding year,” the Green Devils are 18-6 overall with another Southern Hills Athletic Conference championship wrapped up — the program’s 11th since 2012.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
And, after a hard-fought 46-41 win over Adena on Tuesday, they’ve punched a third consecutive district final ticket.
There are numerous programs in Ohio that dream of having the “rebuilding” year that North Adams is enjoying. But that’s the standard and culture of success that coach Rob Davis and company have built and sustained.
“Us seniors have come together over the past few days,” Grooms said. “We were texting each other before getting on the bus and it was like, ‘We’re not letting this be our last game.’ The four of us have been playing together all through school. And our lower classmen have been doing a great job. We just have an all-around great team.”
On Wednesday, it took a total team effort to oust the opposing Warriors (17-7).
Adena’s Kam Sowers got the night’s scoring started with 7:35 left in the first quarter before Grooms answered on the other end. The two traded buckets until the Devils took their first lead 6-4 with a score from senior Karlie Kennedy.
NA got a score from Katelynn Boerger with 3:16 to go before Corinne Day nailed a 3 to bring Adena to within 8-7 — a score that stood at the beginning of the second.
After Kennedy nailed the front end of two free throws, Boerger and Grooms scored to make it a 13-7 lead with 6:21 to go before halftime. But as they did all night long, the Warriors kept punching back.
The two traded 5-0 runs for a 19-13 score before Day buried a 3 with 1:11 left, pulling Adena to within 19-16. Sowers then split two free throws to produce a 19-17 halftime count.
Halcomb gave the Warriors a 20-19 lead with a 3 at the 6:58 mark in the third. That advantage, however, was short-lived as Boerger answered with a bucket for a 21-20 tally.
PHOTOS: Images from North Adams’ district semifinal win over Adena
North Adams would continue to keep the Warriors at bay through most of the third and had a 28-23 lead with 3:06 to go following a 9-4 scoring spree.
But that’s when Halcomb and Day went back to work.
Halcomb splashed in a triple before Day followed suit, cutting the deficit to 30-26. Then, with 1:14 remaining, she was fouled on a 3-point attempt. She hit all three freebies to make it 30-29. When Day scored with 15.2 seconds to go, Adena had a 31-30 lead.
After the Devils hit a free throw to force a tie, Halcomb turned in the play of the night — a half-court heave that went in as the buzzer sounded, putting Adena on top 34-31 heading into the final eight minutes.
“[Halcomb] is a heck of a player and we also keyed on [Corinne] Day],” Davis said. “But we wanted to take our experience, because this is like our second home here at Waverly, and get after it. We bring a great crowd and the atmosphere is tremendous here. But our seniors just fed into that. Those four kept everybody together and they’re just so key for us.”
Grooms and Boerger worked together to give North Adams a 37-36 advantage with 5:07 remaining. Adena would go back in front at 38-37, thanks to two free throws from Jacey Jones, but Kennedy would make it 39-38 with a bucket at the 3:04 mark.
That lead would never be relinquished.
Ava Pistole extended NA’s edge to 42-38 with a bucket and a foul shot, but Sowers got a 3 to fall on the other end, once again making it a one-possession game.
But with 1:21 to go, Kennedy let a 3 loose from near her own bench. It touched nothing but nylon, gave the Devils a 45-41 lead and, eventually, proved to be the dagger.
“She’s got confidence and I don’t ever tell the girls to not shoot it. If they’re open, we want them to shoot,” Davis said. “But we have confidence in Karlie and if she misses four or five in a row, we still want her shooting the ball. It was a big 3. It doesn’t get any bigger than that. Karlie had a great game tonight. Not only that 3, but defensively as well.”
Kennedy led the Devils with 14 points and three assists while Boerger added 12 points and seven boards while Grooms posted a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. Pistole also helped out with seven points.
Following Halcomb’s totals was Day, who finished with 13 points and four rebounds while Sowers added six points and six boards.
As the Warriors’ season comes to an end, North Adams advances to a Division V district championship — the program’s third straight appearance — at 2:30 p.m., Saturday at Waverly’s Downtown Gym.
The Devils will meet with Fairland, a 71-52 winner over Ironton on Tuesday.
“We have to keep it in the 40-point range and we have to stop their pace,” Davis said. “Once they see one go in, it’s like an avalanche. So I’m hoping we can limit them from the 3-point line. If we can do that, I like our chances. We’re playing for a third straight district championship and that’s all you can ask for out of this group. I couldn’t be more proud of these girls.”
BOX SCORE
Adena: 7-10-17-7 — 41
North Adams: 8-11-12-15 — 46
Adena: 13-46 FG, 7-9 FT, 8-23 3pt., 27 rebounds (Sowers 6, Ferrell 6), 21 turnovers, 10 assists (Smith 4). Scoring: Halcomb 17, Day 13, Sowers 6, Smith 3, Jones 2.
North Adams: 17-44 FG, 9-18 FT, 3-9 3pt., 31 rebounds (Grooms 10), 16 turnovers, 8 assists (Kennedy 3). Scoring: Kennedy 14, Boerger 12, Grooms 10, Pistole 7, McCann 3.
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