Dugan scores 40, Springfield-Montco stuns Cheltenham
SPRINGFIELD >> Springfield-Montco guard Molly Dugan has played some great games in career. She has been the Spartans’ top scoring option for the better part of two years now.
Thursday night, against Suburban One League American Conference opponent Cheltenham, the senior guard turned in her most brilliant performance, scoring 40 points as Springfield shocked the Panthers 77-71.
“By far, it’s my best (game so far,” the senior said.
Opposing Dugan was another SOL heavyweight in Ashley Jones. The Panthers’ top-scoring option also filled up the stat sheet, finishing with a team-high 36 points. Jones tried her best to get her team back in the game in the fourth quarter, scoring 13 points before fouling out.
“We definitely (get caught ball watching) and that’s what I mean when I say we get impatient,” Cheltenham coach Brenden Nolan said. “I prefer Ashley as the point guard to get us in spots and then attack with balance. Knowing where her outs are, knowing where her shooters are and that sort of thing.”
Guarding Jones was a complete team effort by the Spartans. And while looking at the numbers it is hard to tell that a player that scored 36 points was bothered by the defense, Springfield did a good job of contesting Jones’ shots as often as possible.
Springfield freshman Siana Wynn was tasked with defensive assignment of guarding Jones for much of the night and for the most part was able to stick with the very talented guard.
“I just had my coach who’s really positive and he kept telling me this is a big assignment and just have fun with it,” Wynn said. “I love playing defense, I feel aggression in it so I just kept that in my mind.”
Springfield also got big-time contributions from Maura Ryan — who finished with 12 points — and Grace Barraclough, who chipped in 14 points, including five clutch free throws in the fourth. In addition to her dozen points, Ryan also did an admirable job cleaning the glass for the Spartans, which was a tough task against the big and athletic bodies of the Panthers.
“The greatest thing about tonight was it was an entire team effort,” Springfield coach Bill Krewson said. “Some of the players that don’t contribute as much usually really contributed and came through for us tonight.”
After dropping two games to Upper Dublin and losing their third SOL American game Thursday night, a conference title and an invite to the Suburban One League tournament is all but out for Cheltenham. The loss, however, will not ruin the Panthers’ chances for a shot at the District 1-AAAA playoffs and might not affect the seeding all that much either.
For the Spartans, the game will certainly stand as the banner moment of their regular season and represented a big bounce back spot after a lackluster performance against Norristown Tuesday.
