Trouble with turnovers

The Spartans have been known for their offense.
It shone brightly again Tuesday night, but it was the play at the opposite end of the court that was too much for the host Patriots.
Jay County High School’s girls basketball team committed 24 turnovers allowing Homestead to shoot 50 percent from the field in a 70-38 loss to the Class 4A No. 2 Spartans.
“They are very good offensively, but as good as they are offensively they might be just as good defensively,” said JCHS coach Kirk Comer, whose team falls to 4-2 on the year and travels to New Castle on Thursday. “They play very good half-court defense and they made it very hard for us to get any offense.”
Homestead (4-0), which has three NCAA Division I recruits, came out firing in the first quarter, making four baskets from long range in building a 14-5 lead after eight minutes. Madisen Parker — she’s committed to Bowling Green — hit the first from the right corner on a feed from Karissa McLaughlin, who will play in college for the University of Florida. Parker then returned the favor the next time down the court as McLaughlin swished a triple from the left wing.
Parker and McLaughlin traded triples again in response to back-to-back baskets from Jay County’s Emily Muhlenkamp. The JCHS senior scored four of her team’s 13 points as it trailed Homestead 34-13 at half.
The Spartans attempted as many 3-pointers (13) in the first 16 minutes as the Patriots had total shots. Those extra possessions were a result of a tenacious defense that stepped in front of passing lanes, put hands in the faces of ball handlers and kept Jay County’s off-the-ball players from getting open.
“I thought in the first half we were really good,” said Homestead coach Rod Parker, whose team forced the Patriots into 16 turnovers before intermission. “Often times people talk about our offensive output, but we’ve really tried to make an effort to play good defense and realize to beat good teams and to advance in the conference and in the tournament that we have to be able to defend very well.”
Comer attributed some of the early offensive struggles — Jay County was 5-of-13 in the first half — to being intimidated by a sectional rival that is one of the best teams in the state.
During the third quarter, the Patriots found a little bit of offense, scoring as many points in the period than they had in the previous two combined. Sophomore Kendra Muhlenkamp sank one of her team’s four 3-pointers to stop an eight-point Homestead run, and senior Taylor Homan scored all four of her points in the frame as well.
In the fourth quarter, JCHS senior Britlyn Dues scored six of her seven points, and Audrey Shreve totaled five of her team-high eight points as she banked a 3-pointer from the left corner and also hit a pair of free throws. Shreve, who is also a senior, made a long-range basket in the first quarter, too.
McLaughlin made half of her dozen 3-point attempts and finished with a game-high 25 points. Parker added 19, and Sydney Graber chipped in with 11 points and four rebounds. Jazmyne Geist, who has committed to the Norse of Northern Kentucky, added nine points and a team-high six rebounds.
“They did tonight what we expect them to do,” Rod Parker said of McLaughlin and Madisen Parker, who combined to shoot 10-for-23 from behind the arc. “They obviously are our leading scorers and our offense centers around a lot of what they can do on the perimeter and attacking the basket.
“They have the ability to shoot the ball well and especially get real warm at times.”
“Obviously the key to the game was the way they shot and the turnovers,” Comer said. “You can’t give a team that good that many more opportunities to score the ball and have a chance to win.”

Junior varsity
Much like their varsity counterparts, Homestead used a strong first quarter in defeating Jay County 46-34.
The Spartans doubled- up the previously unbeaten Patriots 16-8 in the opening quarter, and continued to outscore the home team over the next two periods. Homestead led 28-17 at half and pushed the advantage to 37-24 heading into the final quarter.
Hannah Phillips had a team-high nine points for Jay County (5-1), while Hallie Fields and Claire Dirksen scored seven points apiece. Sam Twigg followed with six points and Hanna Dillon chipped in with five.
Homestead’s Katie Felger led all players with 16 points.