The Albion College women’s basketball team engaged in a classic MIAA battle Wednesday night against rival Hope College , but it will be a game all purple and gold faithful will soon hope to forget. Despite enjoying a 16-point halftime lead, the Britons, plagued by turnovers and poor shooting in the final 25 minutes, fell 82-78 in overtime to the Flying Dutch.
“I think this showed us just how tough the league is going to be this season,” said Albion head coach Doreen Belkowski after the loss.
Thanks in-part to nearly 60 percent shooting from the field, including five 3-pointers, Albion dominated the first half. Jamie Fornetti shot 4-for-4 from the field en route to scoring 11 points and helped Albion enjoy a 47-31 advantage after 20 minutes.
As the second half began more of the same played out. Albion , despite struggling a bit from the field, was able to answer any Hope offensive surge with one of their own. Slowly but surely though, as the half wore on, Hope began chipping away at the 16-point deficit and pulled within three, 60-57 with just under nine minutes remaining. Once again though, Albion calmed the storm with back-to-back 3-pointers from Jessica Babcock and Megan Garvey.
Albion maintained a 9-point lead for the next four minutes but Hope would use an 11-4 run over the next 3 minutes and pulled within one, 74-73, after Bria Ebels made a clutch 3-point shot with 19-seconds remaining.
After taking the ensuing inbound pass, Fortnetti was fouled and made both attempts in the one-and-one situation to give Albion the 76-73 lead, but Ebels would strike again, banking in another 3-point shot with five seconds remaining to send the game to overtime tied at 76.
“Great players find a way to make huge shots,” said Hope head coach Brian Morehouse. “Honestly, when she shot it I knew she would make it.”
“Bria really stepped up for them,” Belkowski added. “She is one of those players who simply won’t be denied.”
When the overtime began though, neither team could find the basket. Linda Ebels made the first field goal 2:33 into the extra session to give Hope a 78-76 but after being fouled on Albion’s next possession, Liz Marcuz made two free throws to even the game at 78. But Hope would own the final 1:07, scoring the games final four points, two on a jump shot from Jordyn Boles and two on free throws from Bria Ebels.
“Give them [Hope] a lot of credit,” said Belkowski, who had won her previous three games against Hope. “Their defense took us out of our game and they fought back the whole second half.”
Albion’s offensive struggles in the second half and overtime were highlighted by an 0-for-7 shooting performance in overtime and after committing only six first half turnovers, gave the ball away 15 times in the final 25 minutes.
“I think it was just our lack of communication on offense,” Belkowski added.
Adding to Hope’s success Wednesday night was their ability to control the glass and cash in on points in the paint. The Dutch outscored Albion 44-24 inside the lane and out rebounded the Britons 47-35; including 22 offensive rebounds and 22 second-chance points.
“One thing they really killed us in was rebounding,” Belkowski said. “The second-chance points they got we can’t allow to give up the way we did.”
Fornetti led Albion with a career-best 18 points while Babcock chipped in 17 and Kellyn Glynn scored 11 in the loss.
Bria Ebels led Hope (5-1 2-0), scoring 16 points, ten of which came after halftime. Linda Ebels added 15 points and pulled down 13 rebounds while Jordan Boles scored 13 and Lindsay Lange added 12.
Albion (6-1, 1-1) will play next on Dec. 17 at Spring Arbor University before traveling to Olivet on Dec. 21 for their third league game.