Big third quarter helps lift Centerville past Tecumseh
The Centerville High School girls basketball team is back in the Division I district finals for the second time in three seasons.
The Elks outscored Tecumseh 23-5 in the third quarter en route to a 71-40 victory in a D-I district semifinal Monday
night at the Vandalia Butler Student Activities Center.
“I thought we did a great job of clamping down on defense in the third quarter, which led to us scoring easier shots,” said Elks coach Adam Priefer. “When we can play defense like that, we’re able to score easier. It makes it easier, your offense doesn’t have to be amazing if you can turn them over and get breaks and hit some shots in transition. I thought we did a nice job of that.”
Centerville senior Amy Velasco scored a game-high 24 points for the Elks, who advanced to face Lebanon in a district final at a time to be determined Saturday at Princeton High School. Sophomore Kendal George scored 15 points and junior Cotie McMahon added 11 as Centerville (21-2) won its 14th straight game.
Senior Terah Harness and junior Mae Mastin each scored 11 points for Tecumseh, which finished its season 18-6.
The Arrows pulled to within 20-19 on a 3-pointer by Gabrielle Russell early in the second quarter. The Elks countered with a 12-4 run that included five straight points by Velasco. Centerville took a 39-29 lead into halftime.
“The kids did a great job of responding,” Priefer said. “We weren’t hitting shots early and they were hitting shots. The game was tight, back-and-forth and in the second quarter we were able to go on a little bit of a run. We had a really big spurt there in the third quarter.”
Velasco played with a sense of urgency, scoring 18 of her 24 points in the first half.
“She’s one of the best players in Ohio,” Priefer said. “Her ability to distribute, her leadership, her defense — she does everything so well. She’s got a great basketball IQ. She did a great job today.”
News in Education
Lesson for grades 9-12
Chameleons are reptiles most widely known for their ability to change color and camouflage themselves in their surroundings. A newly discovered chameleon (kuhMEE-lee-on) in the island nation of Madagascar has another claim to fame. It may be the smallest reptile in the world — and it does NOT change colors. The male nano-chameleon can sit comfortably on the tip of a human finger with a length just over ¾ of an inch from its nose to the tip of its tail and a body just half an inch long. The female of the species is slightly larger.
Researchers said the tiny chameleon was found in a rain forest area that had been subject to deforestation in the nation located off the east coast of Africa. They noted that it hunts for mites on the rain forest floor and is so small it hides from predators in blades of grass, the BBC news service reported. With a body the size of a sunflower seed, it is the smallest of about 11,500 known species of reptiles.
One of the researchers involved in the discovery, called it “a spectacular case of extreme miniaturization.” Around the world, scientists continue to discover new species of wildlife.
Activity: In the newspaper or online, find and closely read a story of a new discovery. Use what you read to prepare an oral report on the discovery, how it was made and why it is important. Present your report to family, friends or classmates.