Copley rallies for road win over Solon in Ohio girls high school basketball
SOLON, Ohio - Copley girls basketball coach Julie Solis had a plan on Wednesday night. And then she had to make a new one if her team was to remain unbeaten.
In the end, it worked out alright for the Indians in a 52-48 road win over Solon in a cross-conference battle between Suburban League foes.
Down one player due to illness from her already small rotation that normally features just seven players, Solis had to make some adjustments in the way her team would approach the game, including having to pick and choose the right times to turn up the pressure defensively.
"We had to make a decision on exactly when can we press," Solis said. "We just had to talk about those things and just make sure that personnel wise we had the right matchups due to the missing player."
One of those moments came at the end of the third quarter with Copley trailing 35-24.
After a pair of free throws by Audrey Parker, Copley put on the press and got a quick steal that led to a foul. Emily Kerekes split the free throws but Copley got the ball back and Evelyn McKnight scored.
On the ensuing inbounds pass, another steal led to a Parker bucket and the Indians found themselves down just four points after the third quarter.
"Those were key steals," Solis said. "We usually are a pressing team and we only had six (players) tonight that are usually up here playing with us so I didn't really want to press but I think at that moment we had to do it."
Copley, ranked No. 18 in the latest SBLive Ohio girls basketball Power 25, rode that momentum into the fourth quarter and finally took its first lead of the second half when senior Izzy Callaway nailed a 3-pointer as she was being fouled and her free throw made it 42-41 Copley with 3:37 left.
Callaway scored nine of her team-high 15 points in the fourth quarter.
"It was pretty big, I think I needed that," Callaway said. "I was in a little bit of a slump to start the game so it was helpful for sure."
Part of the reason Callaway struggled offensively at the start was because of the defense being played on her by someone familiar with her game - Solon guard Mackenzie Blackford, as the two were teammates in AAU.
"I think I was I was a little down because I was getting face guarded so that was definitely a challenge," Callaway said. "I had to just kind of work through that, talk to my coaches (and they) kept telling me be aggressive. (Mackenzie and I) played on the same AAU team, so we're good friends."
The two teams traded the lead over the next few possessions, but Copley ultimately outscored Solon 21-13 in the final quarter to overtake the Comets and win the game.
Copley head coach Julie Solis talks to her team during the fourth quarter of a win over Solon on December 20, 2023. Photo credit: Ryan Isley, SBLive Sports
Ryan Isley, SBLive Sports
"I just think they just kept fighting," Solis said. "(It was important) to just fight back, and I think they never felt defeated, especially when we were down 11 because that hasn't happened to us yet this year. I was proud of their resiliency to come out in the fourth quarter."
The loss is the first of the season for Solon (7-1), ranked No. 8 in the SBLive Ohio Power 25. The Comets were led by guard Nia Booker with 20 points and Blackford with 19. The duo combined for 21 of Solon's 24 points in the first half.
With Callaway leading the charge offensively, Kami Ayoup scored 10 points, including a 3-pointer with 2:04 left when Solon had just retaken the lead. McKnight and Zoey Van Voorhis each had eight points for the Indians, with Van Voorhis scoring to give Copley the lead for good with 1:18 remaining.
Parker had six and Kerekes finished with five to round out Copley's scoring.
While Copley (7-0) was shorthanded on the night, the team rallied around one another, something the coach was not surprised about.
"They're a great bunch of kids," Solis said. "I love being around them, but I think they love each other. And they're really enjoying the time together."
-- Ryan Isley | ryan@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveoh
