OTTUMWA — The Marshalltown girls’ basketball team had two goals as the focal point of its gameplan for Friday’s game at Ottumwa: limit turnovers and slow down Camdyn Crouse.
The Bobcats were 0-for-2.
Crouse scored a game-high 17 points and Marshalltown committed 30 turnovers in a 46-26 loss to the Bulldogs on Friday night at Evans Middle School.
Ottumwa (12-7) claimed its 11th-straight in the series with the Bobcats, burying seven 3-pointers and applying full-court pressure on Marshalltown (6-13) from the opening tip.
“When we do not execute our gameplan, it makes it very difficult to win,” said MHS head coach Brian Murphy.
Marshalltown was in the low-scoring game early, but live-ball turnovers led to Ottumwa fast-break opportunities and eventually a comfortable win for the Bulldogs.
Crouse made three 3-pointers and Alli Goedken added four triples on her way to 16 points to power Ottumwa to the cross-divisional win.
Frankie Long led Marshalltown with 14 points, 18 rebounds and five blocked shots, but the Bobcats couldn’t recover from a 23-7 halftime deficit. Long scored 10 of her 14 after halftime.
“I did think Frankie had one of her most dominant games she has had this season,” Murphy said. “She almost completely denied the paint as an option for most of the game, and despite their defensive gameplan she was still a force on offense.”
Jorja Janssen was Marshalltown’s next leading scorer with four points. Morgan Hilderbrand and Millie Heitmann chipped in three points apiece, and Amairra Johnson made a bucket.
“In the second half we finally woke up and started playing the way we can,” Murphy said. “A number of our points came from breaking their press.
“Ultimately, this was another game where we took too long to recognize what we needed to do to succeed consistently. We are deep enough into the season that we can’t keep trying the same approach and hoping for a different result.”
The Bobcats are back on the road Saturday with a 1:30 p.m. game at Des Moines North.
Ottumwa 46, Marshalltown 26
MARSHALLTOWN (6-13) — Kinsley Bowie 0 0-0 0, Millie Heitmann 1 1-2 3, Jorja Janssen 1 2-2 4, Ellie Hughes 0 0-0 0, Frankie Long 7 0-2 14, Amairra JOhnson 1 0-0 2, Morgan Hilderbrand 1 1-2 3. TOTALS 11 4-8 26.
OTTUMWA (12-7) — Camdyn Crouse 6 2-3 17, Alli Goedken 5 2-3 16, Hunter Caldwell 0 3-4 3, Brylee Jaeger 1 0-1 2, Nellie Morgan 1 7-9 9, Lea Baroma 0 0-0 0, Cameron Pauls 0 0-0 0, Miya Fuller 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 13 14-20 46.
MHS 4 3 5 14 — 26
OTTUMWA 14 9 13 10 — 46
3-Point Goals–Ottumwa 7 (Goedken 4, Crouse 3). Team Fouls–MHS 15, Ottumwa 11. Fouled Out–none. Technical Foul–Morgan.