UNIONTOWN, Ohio — The Green Bulldogs girls basketball team was looking for a statement victory in the Suburban League when it hosted the Wadsworth Lady Grizzlies on Saturday night in front of a near-capacity crowd of spectators, and they got it.
Behind a 19-point effort from junior guard Logan Pastor, the Bulldogs claimed a 51-48 victory over the league-leading Grizzlies. Now with the win, ironically by the same score Green lost by at Wadsworth, the Bulldogs and Lady Grizzlies find themselves in a tie for first atop the league.
"We've been so close," said Green coach Tony Whitmer. "This is my sixth year here. We've finished second in the league four times and we put ourselves in a position to share the title with Wadsworth. They're awfully good; we're awfully good. I can handle that.
"There were almost 1,000 people here tonight, and that's why they were here," he added. "That's what they wanted to see; two programs that knew each other well, have a lot of respect for each other, knock it out for 32 minutes. The only trouble being a coach is I don't get to sit in the stands and enjoy it; I'm down there panicking the whole time."
Though the Bulldogs worked hard and will enjoy the victory, they will not get a chance to relish it for long. There are games still left on the schedule that could determine not only the conference race, but also playoff seedings.
"I already told them in there, it's my job not to let them let down," Whitmer said. "They didn't win a league championship tonight. They've earned the right to go out and win one. If I have to turn into Mr. Bad Guy next week, then, that's what I'll have to do because I can't let them down. I can't let myself let them down. If they're over-enjoying it Monday, I'll take that away."
Pastor made an immediate impact for the Bulldogs when she hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key early in the game. She rolled to a seven-point first quarter, sparking a 16-4 Bulldogs run out of the gate.
However, the Lady Grizzlies came storming back with a 14-3 showing in the second quarter. Pastor picked up her second foul with 7:17 left in the first half. Pastor was subbed out until the 4:22 mark, but when she returned, Wadsworth continued the run.
Finally, in the fourth quarter, Pastor heated up again and scored eight points. One of her baskets came when the Lady Bulldogs missed a free-throw attempt. After controlling a rebound, Pastor converted the lay-up and drew a foul on Wadsworth in the process.
"I just knew my team depends on me in all categories and I have to lead them and they backed me up the whole way," Pastor said. "Even when I made a bad pass or took a bad shot, they were right there rebounding, getting loose balls, something.
"It was great," she added. "It's finally something special for Green and I'm just so glad I get the opportunity to experience it and share it with my teammates. It's so awesome."
In the fourth quarter, Pastor made a pair of smart passes when she helped teammate Melissa Weinsz get transition lay-ups. With the Lady Grizzles instituting a full-court press, Pastor beat them over the top with deep passes down the court.
"Logan Pastor is, if not the best player in the Akron area, she's one of the best," said Whitmer. "She just is so team-oriented. When we play weaker opponents, she gets everybody involved. When we play somebody good, I don't know what she's averaging, but if we're playing a state-ranked team, she's averaging about 18 a game. I don't go to the media and beg for attention. Logan's a player. She's already been offered 10 Division I scholarships and she can play. She loves nights like this.
"I've been a head girls coach for 16 years and she's the best passer of the basketball I've ever coached," he added. "I've coached four or five D-I players and about 15 college players and she's the best that I've had distributing the ball. I had some really nice teams at Hudson, but nobody could pass the ball like Logan."
As for what will serve as the encore to a brilliant performance Saturday night, Pastor is looking to finish the season strong and get another shot at Wadsworth. The Lady Grizzlies knocked off Green in the District Finals last year before falling in the Regional Semis.
"I just have to say we have a lot more things to come," Pastor said. "They haven't seen everything. We are such a special team; we'll just bring it every time. We're going to get hungrier and hungrier. I just can't wait for the tournament, for a rematch."
Matt Florjancic currently works as a freelance reporter and sports show host for WOBL and WDLW.
