BEAVERCREEK — It’s becoming a reoccurring pattern for the Beavercreek Beavers girls high school varsity basketball team, and there’s not one person wearing Orange who’s very happy about it.

Beavercreek (2-5, 0-3 GWOC) continues to miss gimme layups, while giving up a subsequent score from its opponents at the other end.

The same frustrating routine bit the Beavers again in a Dec. 16 47-32 loss to visiting Centerville.

“Everything that I said the other day (after a 21-point home loss to Huber Heights Wayne), you can say that about tonight’s game, too,” Beavercreek coach Ed Zink said. “We get that chance to get close on the scoreboard, but miss the easy layup … then our opponents go down the other way and almost immediately turn a four-point lead into nine.”

Centerville’s first three scores were from three-point range, and that good fortune seemed to open up the Elks offense the rest of the night. While the Elks (4-3, 2-2 GWOC) appeared able to make the easy passes and get the open looks at the basket, most every Beavercreek shot try was contested.

“We’d had a rough week, with three games in five days all on the road, but this was a very good team win for us,” Centerville coach Adam Priefer said. “It’s nice to come out with a victory, especially on the road against a team like Beavercreek. Our kids showed nice balance up and down the lineup today. We did some little things better today than we had in the past. I thought we improved a lot in this game.”

Freshman Kendal George hit four 3-pointers in the first half to lead the Elks in scoring with 12 points. Junior Kenzie Smith and sophomore Cotie McMahon each finished with eight points scored, and Amy Velasco connected on seven of eight free-throw tries in the second half to finish with seven points.

Centerville doesn’t have another home game until next year. They are at Miamisburg on Saturday, will compete in the Diamond Classic in the state of Delaware over the holidays, play at Lebanon on Jan. 8, 2020, before finally returning to play a home game against a tough Springboro bunch on Jan. 11.

There were looks of frustration on each of the Beavercreek players as they left the team lockerroom after the game. Nobody was happy about Monday’s outcome, and understandably so.

Zink said he still believes in this Beavercreek bunch.

“Is there any sort of a magic potion or secret spell I can cast to make this any different for us? No,” he said. “But I love this group of kids. They play hard, they practice hard, I love coming to practice. But I’m frustrated for them, because we’re just missing too many easy inside layups. And it just seems like when we miss them, the other guys just go right down the court and score.

“We had a chance to cut the lead down to four points at one stage of the game. We miss a layup, they score. They next thing you know, the lead is up to nine. That’s a big swing. I can’t fault the kids’ effort. They play extremely hard. Defensively, they fight like crazy. … But then we get frustrated and we try to do too much. Then it just all breaks down.

“We’ll just keep working at it.”

Ashley Vaughn and Tiernan McKitrick led the Beavers with 11 points scored each. Vaughn hit three 3-pointers, and McKitrick hit the other Beavercreek trey in the game. Five others combined for the other 10 Beavers points.

Beavercreek can use the rest of the week to prepare for its next GWOC contest, a 1 p.m. affair with visiting Trotwood-Madison on Saturday, Dec. 21. Centerville is also back in action on Saturday. They’ll take to the road to play Miamisburg for a 12:45 p.m. game.

With the Centerville bench looking on, Beavercreek’s Trinity Bean puts up a three-point shot Dec. 16 in the Ed Zink Fieldhouse in Beavercreek.
https://www.beavercreeknewscurrent.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/49/2019/12/web1_B10ThreeTry_PS.jpgWith the Centerville bench looking on, Beavercreek’s Trinity Bean puts up a three-point shot Dec. 16 in the Ed Zink Fieldhouse in Beavercreek. John Bombatch | Greene County News

Tiernan McKitrick puts up a three-point try, in the first quarter of Monday’s Greater Western Ohio Conference contest with visiting Centerville.
https://www.beavercreeknewscurrent.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/49/2019/12/web1_B12three_PS.jpgTiernan McKitrick puts up a three-point try, in the first quarter of Monday’s Greater Western Ohio Conference contest with visiting Centerville. John Bombatch | Greene County News

Beavercreek guard Maci Rhoades (3) passes inside to teammate Anna Landing (34), Dec. 16 in a game against visiting Centerville.
https://www.beavercreeknewscurrent.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/49/2019/12/web1_B3to34passC10_PS.jpgBeavercreek guard Maci Rhoades (3) passes inside to teammate Anna Landing (34), Dec. 16 in a game against visiting Centerville. John Bombatch | Greene County News

Centerville post player Molly Scott (14) contests an inside shot by Beavercreek’s Anna Landing, during the first half of Monday’s girls high school varsity basketball game on the Ed Zink Fieldhouse floor, in Beavercreek.
https://www.beavercreeknewscurrent.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/49/2019/12/web1_Creek34Elks14_PS.jpgCenterville post player Molly Scott (14) contests an inside shot by Beavercreek’s Anna Landing, during the first half of Monday’s girls high school varsity basketball game on the Ed Zink Fieldhouse floor, in Beavercreek. John Bombatch | Greene County News

By John Bombatch

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Contact John Bombatch at 937-372-4444, Ext. 2123.