As dominating of a season as it has been for the Streetsboro Rockets girls’ basketball team, they still had yet to capture a signature victory against a non-conference opponent. The Rockets finally delivered one when they prevailed 38-30 against Canfield in their regular season finale last Saturday afternoon at Streetsboro High School.
“We have had some good wins this year in the conference and outside of the conference but we knew this would be a big one,” said Coach Carl Singer. “Not just because Canfield is a good team with a really good record but it is coming tournament time and we are looking down the line so that might be a possible game later on.”
When it came to play in the Metro Athletic Conference, the Rockets (19-3, 14-0) met all expectations by repeating as the champions, this time capturing sole ownership of the league banner. Outside of the conference, Streetsboro had been tested and had fallen short in games against several high caliber opponents.
With the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division IV playoffs approaching, the Rockets had one more chance to set themselves accordingly before the second part of the season began, facing the top seeded team in their district.
“It is very appropriate and very necessary,” said senior center Naomi Benson. “At the beginning of the season we needed to play Copley and it tested our mettle and to end the season against a good team like Canfield, whom we would (might?) see in the regional semifinal, is a good thing.”
According to the University of Illinois commit, Streetsboro already knew what to expect in the MAC but needed to embrace the unfamiliar when playing non-conference opponents. The regular season finale against Canfield was one last test before the Rockets could embark on another deep playoff run.
The Rockets exerted their will at the start of the game as the 6-foot-3 Benson keyed an 8-2 run, scoring six points to help Streetsboro assume control. Benson finished the game with 20 points, 11 rebounds, four blocked shots and one assist.
Helping her team get off to fast starts was not something Benson is unaccustomed to, but she acknowledged the importance of doing it against a Cardinals’ squad that had surrendered fewer than 40 points in eight consecutive games.
“It was very important because they are the number one ranked team and are a high-level team and they only lost one game this year, so the rest of the team and I wanted to make a big statement,” she noted.
Streetsboro raced out to a 16-7 advantage after the first quarter and increased its lead in the second quarter by using a 10-0 run to mount a 19-point cushion.
In addition to some precise passing, the Rockets’ defense had Canfield spinning its wheels by forcing it into several drawn-out offensive possessions where the Cardinals struggled to find penetration in the paint, which contributed to Streetsboro forcing eight turnovers in the quarter.
The Cardinals did not score their first points until junior guard Carly Fleming knocked down a pair of free throws with 2:10 remaining in the half.
“We love those possessions, and we really pride ourselves on those possessions and we celebrate those possessions,” said the 10-year coach. “Even if they are able to get a look at the end of it, to play that good of defense for that long of time period, we always celebrate that.”
The Cardinals staged a 5-0 run, cutting the lead to 26-12 at the half and cut the lead to 11 points at the beginning of the third quarter when junior forward Jenna Triveri buried a 3-point shot off an assist from senior guard Marina Koenig, but the Rockets responded with a 4-0 run, pushing the lead to 30-15.
From then on, it was a defensive dual as the teams combined to score only four points in the rest of the quarter.
Singer acknowledged that the Rockets’ offensive pace slowed down considerably in the second half.
“When we had the lead, we knew they would have to come out after us and we expect ourselves to do a little bit better with decision-making and pressure and we got a little sped up and made some passes that were questionable at times,” he added.
Despite committing eight turnovers in the second half, the Rockets’ defense never withered, never allowing Canfield to cut the lead to single digits until the buzzer, capturing a statement victory on the eve of the playoffs.
“It prepares us a lot,” said Benson. “It helps us develop the little things we need because we will not see the Ravennas or Cloverleafs in the playoff season. We needed this test, and it will help us grow.”
Seventh seeded Streetsboro will host the 41st seeded Bard Early College in the OHSAA Division IV Northeast 4 sectional championship on Saturday at 1 p.m.
