Published: December 10, 2005 11:51 pm

McWhorter sparks No. 7 Titans

Taylor tops NW to remain perfect in MIC girls basketball

By CHRIS GARNER
Tribune sportswriter

When the Taylor girls basketball team reached the IHSAA Class 2A Final Four a year ago, no one had a greater appreciation for the feat that Morgan McWhorter.

A two-year standout her freshman and sophomore years, McWhorter missed the 2004-05 campaign with not one, but two knee surgeries. She watched from the sidelines as Taylor reached the Plymouth Semistate.

Back at full strength for her senior season, the 5-foot-6 sparkplug is leading the Class 2A No. 7-ranked Titans (7-1) on another strong run. Taylor improved to 3-0 in the Mid-Indiana Conference with a 57-40 victory over Northwestern at Center Court Saturday.

“Both knee surgeries really made me realize that when you get the opportunity to play, you have to take advantage and give it your all, because you never know when it’s going to be your last game,” McWhorter said.

McWhorter did everything for the Titans. She led them with a game-high 18 points and spearheaded their smothering full-court press that forced the visitors into 19 errors.

The pressure got so intense at one point near the end of the first half that Taylor was able to keep the ball on its end of the floor for nearly all of the final two minutes.

Leading 19-16 after Northwestern scored five unanswered points, Taylor freshman Terri Oliver canned a 3-point field goal before the defense forced a 10-second violation on the Tigers.

McWhorter scored a bucket inside to increase the lead to 24-16, then Oliver stole the ball and laid it in. McWhorter then stole the ball and fed Oliver for another lay-in.

Northwestern managed to keep the ball for about 10 to 12 seconds, but the Titans got their hands on it with another steal. After holding for the last shot, Brianne Christophel put back Brittni Oliver’s miss as time expired. Just like that, Taylor owned a 14-point advantage at the break, 30-16.

In the first half, the Tigers gave the ball away 12 times. They had only six shot attempts from the floor in the second quarter.

“I thought the first half was a clinic defensively,” Taylor coach Dennis Bentzler said. “Our kids played so hard and so well. That was probably the best half of basketball in the 12 years I’ve been here.”

Northwestern used its size advantage to start chipping away in the third period. Audrey Gaither scored four of her eight third-quarter points on back-to-back baskets that cut the deficit to 33-24. After a Brittni Oliver free throw, Natalie Appelhans, who had a Tiger-high 14 points, cut it to 34-26 with another field goal inside.

But McWhorter had the answer. Her 3-pointer with 2:25 left in the quarter gave Taylor back its double-digit lead, and Denae Beavers’ steal and lay-up gave the Titans a 39-26 bulge. The Tigers were never closer than 13 points.

Northwestern (5-3, 1-2 MIC) did outrebound Taylor 29-22. Gaither had a game-high 10 caroms. Bentzler said he was concerned going in that the Tigers’ height might be a problem.

“We knew if we couldn’t put the ball in the bucket, we weren’t going to be able to get into the press,” he said. “I don’t know what the rebounding [difference] was, but our kids battled all day long. Our kids were more aggressive.”

None more so than McWhorter. If she wasn’t outside directing the offense that committed only eight turnovers, she was inside taking on the tall trees of Northwestern. McWhorter had a team-high eight rebounds and was 5 of 6 from the foul stripe.

“It’s her time,” said Bentzler of McWhorter. “These seniors have led us, and Mo’s a big part of that. She handled [the injuries last season] so well for a young woman. She handled that with class and she’s handling her comeback with class.

“I couldn’t be more pleased [with how the team’s playing] heading down the stretch. We’re on our way again, and as long as we keep playing like [Saturday], we’re going to be hard to beat.”