Chelsea girls basketball defeats Tecumseh, takes league title

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TECUMSEH, Mich. — The Chelsea Bulldogs (17-1) defeated the Tecumseh Indians (15-4) 60-47 Friday night at Tecumseh High School.

In a battle in the Southeastern Conference White Division, the Bulldogs, led by Avery Lay, took over in the second half by landing a barrage of 3-pointers. They clinched a share if the SEC White title and remain undefeated in the league.

Lay finished the game with 22 points, and Tecumseh center Alli Zajac led her team with 16 points.

“Coming down here, it’s always a hostile environment,” Chelsea head coach Tony Scheffler said. “We know that we’re gonna get their best shot, obviously, especially with the league title on the line. We knew coming in that we’re a better team, we just have to stay the course.”

Here are the three takeaways

Chelsea’s full-court press

Tecumseh entered this matchup with revenge on its mind having just lost to Chelsea fewer than three weeks ago. The result was a tightly contested first half, with Tecumseh leading 24-23 to begin the second quarter.

Chelsea’s second-half adjustments were the determining factor of this game. The Bulldogs pressured Tecumseh on defense with a full-court press, and offensive they pushed the pace, outscoring Tecumseh 17-9. Tecumseh scored all but two of its points by free throws due to the stifling Chelsea defense.

Chelsea shot the ball well

The Bulldogs went 8-for-19 in the first half, and they couldn’t miss in the second half, going 13-for-25 from the field. This onslaught of offense centered around their ability to knock down threes, led by Lay, who finished 3-for-6 from beyond the arc.

Another contributing factor to their offensive success was Chelsea’s willingness to pass, as they finished the night with 16 assists. Wells led the game with seven assists.

Wilke’s injury hurt Tecumseh’s chances

Tecumseh senior Chesney Wilke was a defensive force during the first half.

However, in the third quarter, Wilke went down with an injury, taking a tumble defending a Chelsea fast-break, apparently injuring her hand. Chelsea took advantage of the missing interior force and scored often.

Wilke returned late in the quarter. However, Chelsea held a commanding 47-35 lead going into the fourth.

Following tonight’s matchup, the Bulldogs (17-1) will take on the Adrian Maples (2-13). The Tecumseh Indians (15-4) will travel away to take on The Ypsilanti Grizzlies (6-10).