In Holmes County, Ohio there is two ways you hear the word “creek” spoken.
It’s either creek or crick.
Is it the Killbuck creek? Or is it the Killbuck crick?
It’s actually fitting that most likely when you hear it said in the 330 area, it’s crick because the actually definition of “crick” is a stiff feeling in neck or back.
The West Holmes Lady Knights were a crick in Indian Creek’s neck on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at Claymont High School in the Div. II East district semi-final. West Holmes defeated the Redskins 44-37 to advance onto the district final game against John Glenn on Saturday, Feb. 25 at Dover High School at 1 p.m.
John Glenn enjoyed a one-point victory over Carrollton on Wednesday night to earn their date with the Lady Knights.
The two biggest factors that contributed to the Lady Knights’ win were, number one their active hands on defense. And, number two, junior Allie McMillin.
Let’s start with number one. There is no way that a team in Div. II can prepare for the way the Lady Knights get after it on the defensive end. The Lady Knights forced over 20 Redskins’ turnovers, but more importantly forced Indian Creek to play their style. On Indian Creek’s first possession they passed the ball around the horn several times and got an open 3-point shot. The shot didn’t fall, but it looked like the game plan for the Redskins was to try and slow it down and get good shots. Well, that lasted one play. After that West Holmes cranked up the pressure and began to get hands on passes, force jump balls and create open floor opportunities going the other way.
The second factor in the win was junior guard Allie McMillin’s big night. Allie had the throttle wide open all night scoring 17 points, but more importantly making big plays on defense, getting timely rebounds, diving for loose balls and tormenting the Redskins from all angles. In the Lady Knights’ previous game Allie McMillin didn’t score a point, but on Wednesday night there were times when Allie put the rest of the team in her backpack, threw the backpack up over her shoulder and carried the team.
Allie McMillin’s top play of the night came at the end of the second quarter when she grabbed a half court, buzzer-beating attempt under the basket and flipped up a reverse layup that fell through the net as the horned sounded.
Helping Allie McMillin in the scoring column was junior Keegan Uhl who reached double digits dropping 10 points. Senior Ella McMillin, who danced around foul trouble all night, put up six points and led West Holmes in rebounding. Chloe Patten, Briar Cline and Aveona Yoder all had three points for West Holmes and freshman Zaline Proper added a deuce.
The Lady Knights led after one quarter 9-7 and led at the half 18-15 thanks to Allie McMillin’s heroics at the end of the second quarter.
After going a cool 0-for-6 from downtown in the first half, West Holmes’ Chloe Patten stepped out of the locker room and finally knocked down the first and only 3-point bucket for West Holmes on their first possession of the second half.
Patten and West Holmes would hold the lead until 4:21 left in the third when the Redskins’ Tori Robertson tripled giving Indian Creek a 25-23 lead. Robertson then scored on the next trip and suddenly Indian Creek led by four 27-23.
Proper’s two points came with a minute to play in the third quarter when her floater tied it 29-29 heading into the final quarter.
It was Allie McMillin time again as she would outscore Indian Creek 8-3 by herself to start the last period and push West Holmes’ lead to 39-32. With the lead up to seven, West Holmes dialed up the defense once more to lock down the lead and finish off the Redskins.
Indian Creek was led in scoring by Kylie Anderson who had 11 points and Robertson finished with seven.
Follow us on Twitter ( @330insiders ) for score updates on Saturday when West Holmes takes on John Glenn for a birth in the regional tournament.
