Seeger jumped out to a 20-6 lead after a quarter, and never trailed in a 56-39 win over Crawfordsville on Friday night in the Athenian’s season opener.
The Patriots, who improve to 2-0 on the season, scored six quick points to the start the game, while Kiley White stuffed the stat sheet with a 12-point first period. The senior led all scorers with 22 points.
“I knew from watching film from their first game they were in mid-season form,” first-year Crawfordsville coach Tyler Smith said. “They brought a lot of girls back, and we anticipated a pretty good offense.”
Crawfordsville (0-1) got settled in during the second quarter as Kellerman scored seven of her team-high 17 points in the period, but Seeger still led 33-17 at the half.
“It’s early in the season, but I think everyone around here is used to her leading, and we expect that from her,” Smith said about Kellerman. “I think on a nightly basis we are going to get her very best.”
Seeger continued to pour it on in the third quarter, stretching the lead to 24 at 49-25 after three quarters behind back-to-back buckets from White. The Athenians didn’t go down without a fight though, and that’s a positive Smith took away from the early season loss.
“I think we have some girls that are getting more tough-minded,” he said. “We are emphasizing that we are not quitting. One of our mantras this year is every second counts. In the huddle late in the third quarter and early in the fourth I could see it in their eyes they were still engaged and ready to compete.”
Crawfordsville outscored Seeger 16-8 in the final period behind a five-point quarter from Shea Williamson, and forced seven Patriot turnovers. After the first eight minutes, Crawfordsville played Seeger nearly even at 36-33 in favor of the Patriots over the final three quarters.
“It’s no small thing to be even with that squad for three quarters,” Smith said about Seeger, who posted a 20-4 record last season and beat Rossville 40-21 in the season opener earlier this week. “It took us some time, but we come away feeling pretty positive.”
Riley Shrader added 13 points for the Patriots, while Peyton Sinnet reached double-figures for the Athenians with 10.
Crawfordsville returns to the hardwood at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at North Putnam.
Seeger 56, Crawfordsville 39
S 20 13 16 7 — 56
C 6 11 8 14 — 39
Seeger (2-0): Riley Shrader 4 5-5 13, Kiley White 10 0-3 22, Allison High 0 2-4 2, Avery Cole 1 0-0 2, Emily Shrader 4 0-0 8, Aubry Cole 4 1-2 9; Totals 23-55 9-16 56. Crawfordsville (0-1): Olivia Reed 1 0-0 3, Kearston Hutchens 1 0-0 2, Lauren Kellerman 6 3-3 17, Shea Williamson 2 1-2 5, Liddy McCarty 0 204 2, Peyton Sinnet 4 0-0 10; Totals 14-40 6-9 39.
3-Point Shooting: Seeger 2-9 (White 2); Crawfordsville 5-16 (Kellerman 2, Sinnet 2, Reed).
Rebounds: Seeger 32, Crawfordsville 26
Turnovers: Seeger 12, Crawfordsville 22
