Butler girls basketball, despite Amelia McMichael’s 29 points, falls to Moon in tournament
-
Butler coach Mark Maier rallies the team in a girls basketball game against Moon during the Butler Christmas Tournament on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at Butler High School. Chris Leisie/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler's Sydney Patterson (15) makes a layup in a girls basketball game against Moon during the Butler Christmas Tournament on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at Butler High School. Chris Leisie/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler's Malina McElroy (1) goes makes a layup in a girls basketball game against Moon during the Butler Christmas Tournament on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at Butler High School. Chris Leisie/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler's Malina McElroy (1) in a girls basketball game against Moon during the Butler Christmas Tournament on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at Butler High School. Chris Leisie/Special to the Eagle
-
Amelia McMichael (32) fights for possession in a girls basketball game during the Butler Christmas Tournament on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at Butler High School. Chris Leisie/Special to the Eagle
-
Malina McElroy (1) in a girls basketball game during the Butler Christmas Tournament on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at Butler High School. Chris Leisie/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler's Avery Maier (31) makes a layup in a girls basketball game against Moon during the Butler Christmas Tournament on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at Butler High School. Chris Leisie/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler's Avery Maier (31) in a girls basketball game against Moon during the Butler Christmas Tournament on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at Butler High School. Chris Leisie/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler's Amelia McMichael (32) shoots in a girls basketball game against Moon during the Butler Christmas Tournament on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at Butler High School. Chris Leisie/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler's Sydney Patterson (15) and Avery Maier (31) cause a Moon turnover in a girls basketball game during the Butler Christmas Tournament on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at Butler High School. Chris Leisie/Special to the Eagle
-
Butler senior Amelia McMichael (32) fights for a rebound in a girls basketball game against Moon during the Butler Christmas Tournament on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, at Butler High School. Chris Leisie/Special to the Eagle
BUTLER TWP — In its bid for a fourth consecutive win, the Butler girls basketball team had too many numbers working against it Friday afternoon.
Moon’s top two players — guard Jaedin Griggs and forward Maria Depner — combined for 38 points.
The Tigers controlled the glass, out-rebounding Butler 28-17.
The Golden Tornado’s attempt at a rally hit some major snags due to 10 turnovers in the second half.
It all added up to a 58-56 loss to Moon in the first day of the Butler Holiday Tournament.
The Tornado (6-3) did receive a game-high 29 points from senior Amelia McMichael, the final three coming just before the final buzzer.
Butler trailed by as many as eight points in the second half.
“I liked the way we battled,” Butler coach Mark Maier said. “But the (nine) offensive rebounds we allowed, that’s nine more possessions for Moon, and in many cases, they’re right under the basket for another shot.”
The Tornado’s only lead since the first quarter came when Malina McElroy’s steal turned into a conventional three-point play from McMichael, putting Butler up 50-49 with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
Katherine DeMarco made just one shot in the game for the Tigers, but it was a big one — a 3-pointer that put Moon up for good, 52-50 with 1:52 left.
Briggs hit two free throws to make it 58-53 with 15 seconds left.
“(DeMarco) was not in our scouting report for this game,” Maier said. “She comes in and hits that shot ... sometimes it’s the unlikely players that turn into heroes.”
It was actually the second time in the half Butler felt the sting of a freshman making just one shot in the game. With 6:24 left, Avery Pacheco, a guard, drained a trey that pushed Moon’s lead to 34-28.
According to Moon coach Mark Pompeo, it’s senior guard Jayla Brown who often ignites the scoring for the Tigers (4-3).
“All the things she does off the ball, it puts other players in position to make baskets,” he said. “Our offense was up and down (through six games) because we’d get away from our game plan if it wasn’t working early. We stuck with it today.”
Butler missed 20 shots in the game, 12 of them coming from beyond the arc.
“We made six of them, and in a game like this, I guess we need to make a few more,” Maier said. “We have several players who are good shooters from the outside, and as long as they’re taking good shots, it’s not a problem.”
Avery Maier scored 12 points for Butler. She and McMichael both pulled down six rebounds.
Butler will face Altoona in the final game of the tournament at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
MOON 58
Jayla Brown 2 2-2 7, Anya Schwartz 3 0-2 6, Avery Pacheco 1 0-0 3, Jaedin Griggs 6 5-6 18, Maria Depner 8 4-5 20, Rachel Stepp 0 1-2 1, Katherine DeMarco 1 0-0 3. Totals: 21 12-17 58.
BUTLER 56
Malina McElroy 3 0-1 7, Sydney Patterson 3 2-3 8, Avery Maier 4 3-6 12, Amelia McMichael 12 1-2 29, Cam Booher 0 0-0 0, Eva Stutz 0 0-0 0, Ashton Huff 0 0-0 0, Casey Clouse 0 0-0 0. Totals: 22 6-12 56.
Moon 15 16 9 18 — 58
Butler 11 14 7 24 — 56
3-point goals: Moon 4 (Brown, Pacheco, Griggs, DeMarco); Butler 6 (McMichael 4, Maier, McElroy).
Saturday: Altoona at Butler
