Browns expect close contact players back for Steelers game
CLEVELAND (AP) — Browns coach Kevin Stefanski expects some of the players who missed Sunday’s loss because of COVID-19 protocols to return to practice Thursday as Cleveland gets ready to face Pittsburgh with a playoff spot riding on the outcome.
The Browns (10-5) were beaten 23-16 by the New York Jets, who took advantage of Cleveland being without its top four wide receivers, including leading target Jarvis Landry, starting left tackle Jedrick Wills and two linebackers after they were placed on the COVID list.
They’ll be able to return this week as long as they text negative.
The loss put the Browns in jeopardy of missing the postseason and put them in a win-or-miss situation this weekend against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who clinched the AFC North title and could rest some players in the season finale.
Cleveland’s trying to end a playoff drought stretching to 2002, the NFL’s current longest dry spell.
Landry was ruled ineligible along with receivers Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones and KhaDarel Hodge after they had come in close contact with starting linebacker B.J. Goodson, who tested positive for the virus and will also miss the Pittsburgh game.
“The turning point of the first half was the last two possessions of the first half,” said Wiss. “We were down 13, we called timeout. That’s so unlike me but I couldn’t let that get higher by us playing into their hands, because we took some rushed shots.”
“They changed into zone and we got a ball into Ella on the other side. Ella has to be on the floor for us to be successful in the paint. Her making that one, then again the end of the quarter set got it down to nine.”
Wiss told the team at halftime that the Wildkittens wouldn’t shoot that well again in the second half and that the team needed to focus on getting the game down to one possession in the third quarter.
Continuing their momentum swing to end the first half, the Wildcats had a 12- 4 run to start the second half, with two Mescher free throws tying the game at 35 a piece with 2:34 left in the third quarter.
Minster had gotten there with two Mescher 3-pointers and two drives from Wolf while throwing a variety of defensive looks at the Wildkittens in the second half.
“We allowed them one putback and held them to 2-of-14 in the second half behind the arc,” added Wiss on the defensive effort. “I was pleased today.
As Bath has developed their offense they’ve added open face cuts down the middle, back door cuts, and we didn’t allow them to have one tonight. I’ve seen them have five or six in one game. Really pleased with our defensive effort, both man and zone.”
With 1:22 left in the third quarter, Minster took its first lead since the 1:41 mark of the first quarter when Wolf grabbed a defensive board, threw it ahead to Hoying at midcourt, who found Mescher near the hoop.
Mescher was fouled and made the free throw to put the Wildcats up 40-37.
Hoying added a transition 3-pointer with under a minute to go and after the Wildkittens answered with a 3-pointer, Hoying beat the third quarter buzzer with a driving layup to give the Wildcats a 45- 40 lead after three.
“Ella’s two threes were huge, two transition (baskets) were huge,” said Wiss on what the keys to the third quarter were. “A little bit of zone (defense). Sometimes you press to change the tempo of the game. Today it was play zone to slow it down. We were playing into their hand a little too much in the first half by rushing our shots to lead into their transition.”
The Wildkittens tied the game at 45 with a layup and corner three to start the fourth quarter before Mason Pohl put Minster back up by, 47- 45, with under five minutes to go.
A Wolf cut to the hoop with un
der three minutes to go put them up 49- 45 and Minster began to spread the floor and run clock.
Both teams came out hot, with the Wildcats starting the game on a 7- 0 run with four points from senior guard Janae Hoying and a 3-pointer from senior guard Ivy Wolf.
But the Wildkittens responded with a 7- 0 run of their own to tie the game before Wolf hit a wing three off of an inbound play.
The Wildkittens ended the quarter on a 14-3 run behind four 3-pointers including a buzzer-beating corner three by Alexandria Renner to give Bath a 21- 14 lead after the first quarter.
Renner and Madelyn Renner both had nine points to lead the Wildkittens in that first quarter.
Wolf scored 19, Mescher finished with 15 points and Hoying added 13 as the three combined for 47 of the 56 points for Minster.
Down the stretch, the Wildcats went 7-of-8 from the free throw line to secure the 56- 45 win.
“The last 3:45 we didn’t attempt a field goal,” said Wiss of his team’s ability to close the game. “Last year, we won against them and had 18 free-throw attempts. This year, we were 11- of-12. I’m not going to tell you I like where we’re at yet because it’s only our game six but beating that kind of team right there with what they have, as well as an outstanding coach, it’s a good win for Minster.”