Western Tech's Wolverines might have needed the first half to convince themselves they could play with 22-0 Milford Mill in the Baltimore County championship game Friday night. They led for the entire half.
However, Milford Mill coach DeToiya McAliley disliked the way her team played defense in that first half. She switched to a 2-2-1 press with her team trailing and it was the adjustment the Millers needed as Milford Mill forced 20 second-half turnovers en route to a 46-38 victory.
"We just made too many mistakes," said Western Tech coach Nolan Roe, whose team lost to Hereford in the county championship game last year. "We missed layups and had a lot turnovers. The turnovers got us the most."
Freshman guard/forward Dionna White led Milfor with 22 points, including 15 in the second half. She also finished with 11 rebounds and four steals.
Teammate Monique McDonald contributed seven points, nine rebounds and four steals.
Senior forward Ateh Ade paced Western Tech (19-4) with 11 points, 10 rebounds and seven steals.
Ade had to shine in the second half with fellow starters Jayde Duncan and Sydney Clopton hampered by foul trouble and Daija Coles absent because her tooth was knocked out in a collision late in the third quarter.
Western Tech's first-half lead was quickly forgotten in the second half.
Milford Mill opened the third quarter with a 12-6 run to go ahead, 29-24, with 2:45 remaining, forcing nine turnovers during that stretch.
Western Tech trimmed the lead to three points — the closest the Wolverines would get the rest of the way — late in the third period before Milford took control in the final period with a 9-0 run.
Scoring summary:
Western Tech — Ade 11, Duncan, 9, Clopton 6, Montgomery 4, Coles 4,
Staton, 2, Ezeka, 2.
Totals: 15 7-13 38
Milford Mill — White 22, McDonald, 7, Aquon-Rayford, 5, Boyd, 5,
Thompson, 4, Lewis, 3.
Totals: 18 8-15 46
Half: Western Tech, 18-17