OGEMAW HEIGHTS - Feb. 19, 2008 - For nearly three quarters, the Oscoda girls basketball team gave as good as it got against NEMC champion Tawas Area. But three quarters does not a basketball game make, and the Braves pulled away to claim a 38-18 Class B first-round district tournament victory over the Owls.

In a battle of dueling zone defenses that slowed the game to a crawl, the heavily-favored Braves held a too-close-for-comfort 20-15 lead with five minutes to go in the third quarter. Not only that, but Oscoda had two chances to cut further into the lead.

But when Oscoda couldn't convert on those chances. Tawas got a basket by Katie LaHaye following an Oscoda turnover and Gina Gerow buried a pair of 3-pointers that gave the Braves a 28-15 margin.

Oscoda Heather Patterson closed the third quarter with a basket, but it was the last time the Owls would find the bottom of the net from the floor.

"It definitely wasn't a barnburner in terms of scoring," said Oscoda coach Chris Manick. "With these 2-3 zones it makes it tough to get inside. We both just kept moving the ball and trying to get some 'puppies.'

"They did a good job of getting it to (Rachel) Adaline inside, and (Gerow) hit some key shots. They're the best team in the conference."

Tawas never trailed, but it took more than four minutes to necessitate the use of the scoreboard. Hope Kolts scored the first basket of the game with 3:30 to go in the first quarter, and Tawas led 8-4 after one.

It was still just 12-8 late in the half, but a tip-in by Adaline and Gerow's first trey of the game suddenly made it 17-8.

Tawas led 18-10 at the half.

"Not having practice (due to snow days) hurt," Manick said. "Todd Kaems is a good coach, and his teams always play the right way. It's always goo to play them. You know it's going to be a fundamental, defensive struggle."

Gerow led the Braves (17-3) with 13 points, with Adaline adding 10.

Abby Samotis led the Owls (3-18) with seven points.

"I'm proud of the girls," Manick said. "They played hard. They hustle and the defense is there; we still just need to work on our offensive skills. The record doesn't show it, but all season long they never quit."