Wadsworth gets revenge after Hudson girls basketball shuts down Twinsburg

Defense wins basketball games and Hudson was on both ends of that equation in recent league action.

After posting a big victory over Wadsworth earlier in the season, the Lady Explorers lost 49-32 at Wadsworth Wednesday as a woeful fourth quarter period proved costly.

Offense has been a hot commodity to come by at times this winter and this league battle against Wadsworth - a program that radiates pressure defense.

After a 9-9 first period, Hudson flashed some quality defense and carved out an impressive 17-12 halftime lead.

That was the fewest points the Grizzlies have had in a half this winter!

Wadsworth came out strong in the second half, limited Hudson to a season-low 15 points. It was a damaging 19-5 fourth quarter that bested the Explorers.

The shooting went cold as Hudson (6-9) slipped to 4-4 in the league while Wadsworth (11-5) moved to 8-2 in the Suburban League National Conference.

“Wadsworth always has good pressure defense and we haven’t shot well recently,” noted Hudson head coach Dennis Lawler, who was elated with his club’s defense in the first half.

In mid-December, Hudson beat Wadsworth 44-39 behind some staunch defense and a big effort from junior wing Emma Hileman, who exploded for 15 points and eight rebounds.

Hileman is out with a fractured finger and senior forward Gracie Merrick has been out with a knee injury.

Merrick is back for Hudson while experienced wing Ciena Matheny missed that first game for Wadsworth, but has since returned from a six-game absence due to a sprained ankle. She gave the Grizzlies one more active defender.

“Matheny didn’t play the first game for Wadsworth,” offered Lawler. “We knew they would jacked-up since we beat them the first time around this season.”

Senior forward Constance Loring carried the scoring burden early on for Hudson, but field goals were tough to come by.

Loring had eight points in the first half, plus buried a 3-pointer early in the second half followed by an offensive rebound hoop, but there were not a ton of Explorer buckets beyond that.

Defense led the Explorers to a recent league win.

Hudson held Twinsburg scoreless for much of the first quarter - it wasn’t until star Tiger guard Logan Pride converted a layup in transition with just 43.6 second left in the first quarter that the Tigers scored their first points in the league clash Jan. 22.

A 9-0 Hudson run led to a jumper by standout senior Explorer guard Ali Menendez

off a feed from versatile senior forward Delaney DiGeronimo.

DiGeronimo, who had a sensational floor game with nine points, 12 rebounds, five assists and four thefts, helped Hudson to a 20-4 lead with 4:34 remaining in the first half with the feed to Menendez.

Menendez scored 19 points and had a great game along with senior point guard Paige Albrecht, who had 11 points, played aggressive and drained a pair of clutch 3-point hoops.

“We haven’t shot well recently, but Ali and Paige did a great job shooting and scoring,” noted Lawler.

“Paige had one of her best games of the year as she shot well and did not have any turnovers,” added the mentor.

Twinsburg guard Makayla Busicnki hit a transition lay up on a dish from Pride and then Pride had a steal and a lay up to slice the lead to 22-14 with 1:27 left in the first half.

When post Genesis Carthen hit a free throw, it gave Twinsburg an 11-2 run and cut the lead with 59.2 seconds left in the first half, which ended at 22-15 in favor of the hosts.

That momentum spilled into the second half for the Tigers.

Pride made a left-handed layup in traffic and then followed with a pair of free throws to open the second half and cut the lead to 22-19.

“They (Twinsburg) made a 15-2 run and the girls did a good job of fighting back,” noted Lawler. “We also rebounded extremely well.”

However, it was short-lived as Hudson used a 12-2 spurt to answer and take command of the game for good in a 55-40 victory.

Sophomore guards and sisters Madi and Emma Kordos sparked Hudson off the bench, plus helped on defense.

The talented Pride ended with 22 points, 14 coming in the second half for winless Twinsburg. She snagged 13 rebounds with four steals and two assists. Forward Sophie Adick added six points, 10 caroms and two assists for the Tigers.

Hudson’s coaching used a box-in-one defense on Pride, primarily in the second half behind the work of a three-way rotation of the Kordos twin sisters and senior wing Josephine Lawler (five boards, one free throw).

“They held their own defensively against Pride,” said Lawler.

Madi Kordos netted seven points and hit one 3-pointer as did Emma Kordos.