Madison Strong doesn't like being compared to Steph Curry, but the reigning NBA MVP might be the only player in America that could have outshot Strong on Wednesday.
The senior guard scored a game-high 36 points, including 8-for-11 from 3-point range, leading Gainesville to a 61-52 Sectional win over Crocker Wednesday at Lebanon High School.
“It’s not fair at all, Steph Curry is a much better player in every way possible,” said a smiling Strong. “I don’t think I’ve ever shot it as well as I did tonight, but I hope it continues… I want to keep this season going as long as possible. I love playing with my teammates, we have great coaches, and we are just really prepared this year and really want to make it to the Final Four and win a state championship.”
But, in a game in which Strong eclipsed the 2,200-point mark, it was her defense that helped seal the win for the Lady Bulldogs.
After trailing 45-34 entering the fourth quarter, Crocker was down as many as 13 in the fourth quarter before seniors Lindsay Medlen and Kelsi York pulled the Lady Lions out of the hole with a 10-0 run, eight of which came on three straight possessions with York hitting back-to-back 3s and a 15-foot fadeaway jumper.
She scored 18 of her 23 points in the second half.
For the first time since the first quarter Crocker trailed by just one possession, 49-46, when Medlen knocked down a pair of free throws with 1:44 to play.
But just two possessions later, with Gainesville clinging to a 53-48 lead, Strong drew an offensive foul on Medlin with 1:17 to play. It was the Lindenwood signee’s fifth foul. From there Gainesville scored eight of the game's final 12 points, icing the game at the free throw line.
“That play was big; I started to breathe a whole lot easier at that point,” said Gainesville coach Jack Harris. “I don’t like to put Madison on the other team’s best player, I like to keep her legs as fresh as possible, but we knew coming in that she would probably have to guard her late. She guarded her during the summer and did a good job as well.”
Crocker’s rally overshadowed a blistering start by Strong in one of the most impressive shooting performances in recent memory.
The Lady Bulldogs opened a 25-7 lead in the second quarter behind a three minute stretch where Strong went 5-for-5 from 3. She finished the first half with 21 points on 7-for-10 shooting from 3-point range, helping Gainesville take a 30-16 lead into the half.
After scoring 18 first-half points in the district championship against Norwood, Strong continues to fuel Gainesville with hot starts.
“I’ve not seen everything, but I’ve been doing this for 35 years and at this level of small-school girls’ basketball I think she’s the best scorer I’ve seen,” said Harris. “Our offense got a little stagnant and she just took over and gave us a lead that we were able to hold on to.”
Crocker cut into that lead immediately to start the second half with back-to-back buckets from York followed by a 3 and a conventional 3-point play from Medlen, pulling Crocker within six, 32-26.
Medlen and York combined to score 47 of Crocker’s 52 points, with Medlen finishing with a team-high 24 points before fouling out.
“All week we’ve talked about stopping those two,” said Harris. “York really got going on us in the third guard when we went to that match-up zone.”
Senior Scout Jeckstadt added 12 point for Gainesville, which advances to the Elite Eight for the second straight year.
In the last two years the Lady Bulldogs have racked up a 53-4 record with three of those losses coming at the hands of the three-time reigning Class 2 state champion Crane Lady Pirates; Gainesville’s opponent on Saturday.
“We are very excited to get another shot at Crane,” said Strong. “Every Wednesday we have Crane day and pull the guys into practice and they practice with us; we really work hard. We’ve tried to be prepared and hope we can get the W.”
The two teams have been 1-2 in the Class 2 state polls for much of the season. Crane won the regular season meeting, a 57-53 showdown at SBU in which Crane held off a late Gainesville rally to extend its in-state winning streak.
With Gainesville owning wins over Class 2 No. 3 Skyline, No. 4 Crocker and No. 10 Hartville, Saturday could be considered the Class 2 state championship game.
“It’s going to be a war; it is what it is,” said Harris. “We are going to prepare for the next couple of days, we have plenty of film. I’m sure they’ll be prepared for us as well. We’re looking forward to it.”
Crane and Gainesville will tipoff at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Drury’s O’Reilly Family Even Center.
Gainesville 61, Crocker 52
Crocker 7-9-18-18 – 52
Gainesville 11-19-15-16 – 61
Crocker (25-3) – Medlen 24, York 23, Wilson 3, K. Connell 2.
Gainesville (27-1) – Strong 36, Jeckstadt 12, Noah 6, Scott 4, Jenkins 3.
