Harrison struggles with offensive execution and falls below .500 with loss to visiting Lawrenceburg

HARRISON — The process of trying to find its groove isn’t easy for a Harrison High School girls basketball team that doesn’t have a lot of returning varsity experience this season.

But the quest will continue.

The Wildcats, who were 94-25 over the last five seasons, slipped to 2-3 this year after a 34-30 loss to visiting Lawrenceburg (Ind.) on Thursday night.

“They’re great kids. They play hard. I like their team chemistry,” Harrison coach Troy Kinnett said. “It’s hard to be upset with them because they give me everything they have. When I look in there and I see that they gave it their all and they’re upset and they’re emotional after the game, that’s all I can ask for.

“We should have one loss right now and we’ve got three, so I’ve got to do a better job. I’m not going to put the blame on them. I’m 100 percent going to put it on me. I’ve got to find a way to pull these games out.”

The Wildcats couldn’t make enough shots to get the job done against Lawrenceburg (5-5). Kinnett said eight missed layups in the first half essentially doomed his team’s victory chances.

Senior guard Abby Smith is the lone returning starter from last season’s 23-2 squad. She tossed in 16 points Thursday and has an 18.2 average, but Harrison is clearly in need of additional scoring threats. Several injuries haven’t helped the Wildcat cause.

“We have to continue to get reps, reps, reps because a lot of the girls that we’re playing right now played freshman or JV last year. They’ve got to adjust to that varsity speed,” Kinnett said. “I’m hoping week by week and month by month we will. We played well enough to win (tonight) in my opinion. We just didn’t execute.”

Smith, who will be moving on to play soccer at Hanover (Ind.) College, said she believes in her team and what it can become.

“Everybody thinks we’re going to be down this year, so we’re really trying to prove ourselves,” Smith said. “We might be a little down, but there’s no reason to hang our heads. I think once we even out our scoring, that’s when we’re really going to step up to the plate.

“We get it done in practice. We’re putting the work in. We’re not getting the results we want yet, but I think that’s going to come with time. We’re still learning how each other plays. We’ll definitely be OK.”

The Wildcats jumped ahead of Lawrenceburg 7-2, gave up 9 straight points and never had the lead again. Harrison got within 30-29 on Smith’s basket with 2:36 left, but that was its last field goal of the night.

Jordan Mock and Aubree LaBazzo both scored 10 points for the Tigers. Mock and Alahna Beinkemper collected six rebounds apiece.

“I’d say it’s pretty much what we’ve been,” Lawrenceburg coach Zane White said of his team’s performance. “We give ourselves chances to win because we play hard and I think we play pretty good defense, but we are offensively challenged. We make it really hard on ourselves on the offensive end.”

White, in his 13th year as the Tigers’ head coach, has a veteran squad that starts five seniors and plays one freshman. He said Lawrenceburg has been competitive in every game beyond a 71-37 loss to Jennings County (Ind.).

The Tigers started Thursday’s contest in man-to-man defense and switched to a zone midway through the second quarter.

“I thought we were getting caught in ball screens and got in a little bit of foul trouble with our post player,” White said of making the switch. “Our zone is better because we’re usually a decent man-to-man team, so they understand how to get after somebody and the rotations we need out of a zone. It worked out tonight.”

Smith said Lawrenceburg deserved credit for its defensive effort.

“They were reading that passing lane and taking away our post,” Smith said. “We really had to fight to get baskets and shoot outside shots, and unfortunately we weren’t really hitting them tonight.”

Smith saw what was happening and took it upon herself to do something about it when Harrison came out of halftime trailing 17-12. She started taking the ball to the basket more and found success with 12 second-half points, all on layups.

“If we wanted to win this game, I knew I needed to step it up and everybody else needed to step it up,” Smith said. “I just tried to take it more up by myself if I could. I don’t know if I just didn’t realize it in the first half, but it was definitely there in the second half.”

Most of the Tigers’ scoring came from close range as well.

“The biggest difference between them and us is their experience,” Kinnett said. “They’ve got a lot of seniors on the floor that have been playing for them for a few years, and that’s big when it comes down to decision-making in close games.

“No. 2 (LaBazzo) is a good player and she wanted the basketball, and I think when you have someone who wants the basketball in that situation, they can control the floor. She was definitely controlling the floor out there. We had to double her to get the ball out of her hands.”

Lawrenceburg will travel to Connersville (Ind.) on Saturday night. Harrison returns to action at South Dearborn (Ind.) on Tuesday.

Lawrenceburg 9-8-7-10 — 34

Harrison 7-5-9-9 — 30

LAWRENCEBURG (5-5): Kylie Kelsey 2 1 5; Aubree LaBazzo 4 1 10; Ellie Fox 0 1 1; Alahna Beinkemper 1 2 4; Aubree White 2 0 4; Jordan Mock 5 0 10. Totals: 14 5 34

HARRISON (2-3): Cora Smith 1 0 3; Sarah Calderone 1 0 2; Khloe Legner 0 1 1; Abby Smith 7 2 16; Mackenzie Williams 1 3 5; Evie Freel 1 0 2; Kendra Hetzler 0 1 1. Totals: 11 7 30

3-Pointers: L 1 (LaBazzo), H 1 (C. Smith)