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Year one of Tipton era big for Knights

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March 10, 2010

by Devan Matthews

Correspondent

Gary Tipton's first year as the head coach of the Nordonia High School girls basketball team was certainly one to remember.

The Knights ended the 2009-10 campaign recently with an overall record of 18-4. Nordonia was 17-3 during the regular season and then opened the playoffs with a victory over Maple Heights in the Division I sectional semifinals before falling to Solon in overtime in the sectional title tilt.

The Knights also captured the Northeast Ohio Conference Lake Division championship with an undefeated ledger of 10-0.

"We're happy with the season that we had," said Tipton. "We accomplished all of the major goals that we set. That included a strong winning record, winning the division, and being a good team in terms of academics."

Junior point guard Kelsey Shirey paced Nordonia in scoring, averaging 15.5 points per game. She also led the Knights in assists, dishing out 4.5 a contest.

Senior forward/center Danielle Zuercher was the second-leading scorer at 12.5 ppg, and she was also the top rebounder on the squad, pulling down 8.6 boards per game.

"Danielle was a target by opposing teams for most of the season," said Tipton. "They were always looking to stop her or slow her down. She's a very unselfish young lady who was glad to have others step up and score. We couldn't have asked for more than what we received from her."

Next was junior guard Courtney Cole, who averaged nine points a contest.

"We're happy with the way that Courtney developed," said Tipton. "She was a very important part of what we did. She went to the basket very aggressively, and played extremely well for us, especially during the second half of the season."

Tipton also lauded senior forward Ashley Puscian and junior guard Tiera Lewis for the contributions that they made to the squad during the course of the campaign.

"You can't measure what Ashley does," said Tipton. "She's the floor leader and the glue that holds the team together. She did whatever it took to win games and for the team to be successful.

"Tiera Lewis was our best defender game in and game out. She added an element of physical toughness and intensity on the defensive side. We really appreciate the hard work she put in, especially on defense, every day in practice and during games. She always guarded the other team's best player if that player was a guard. She did a tremendous job."

According to Tipton, the Knights achieved their success by taking the correct approach, even before the season started.

"Early on, it wasn't just about wins and losses, although those are important," he said. "These girls were much more interested in the process and doing the right things process-wise. It started with lifting weights during the summer, competing in summer leagues and working on their individual skills.

"The girls did things the right way, not only during the season, but also during the off-season and preseason. The results speak for themselves."

E-mail: stowsports@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3113




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