June 15, 2023
By Morgan Wenger
League Director

Smithville won the Dawg Days Summer League championship in 2023

Triway ended the regular season of the 2023 Dawg Days Basketball Girl’s Summer League on a high note, defeating previously unbeaten Smithville 40-35 in one of the most intense games the league has ever seen. That earned the Titans the top seed for the final four that was being played the next night. Triway drew #4 seeded Massillon in the semifinals. Triway had defeated Massillon earlier in the summer by a 50-31 count.

Massillon showed that they were ready to play from the start this time around, as they stopped an early Triway run with a free throw and driving layup from rising 8th grader Delaney Pierce. The game stayed a one possession game for most of the first half until Triway’s dynamic duo of Caitlin Titler and Leah Wirth led Triway’s biggest push of the game. Two Titler drives followed by a Wirth three pointer gave Triway a 22-16 lead just before halftime. The three pointer capped a stellar first half for the ultra-athletic Wirth. She led Triway with ten points in the first half. Pierce and Lania Moore combined to score nine of Massillon’s 16 first half points.

The second half started out as a slugfest, with both teams struggling to find any offensive rhythm. Telia Russell dropped in her first points of the game from beyond the three point arc to bring Massillon within one at 23-22, and the Tigers would take the lead soon after on a put back bucket by Pierce. The intensity of play was increasing as the second half got to its midpoint; both teams were competing at a high level. Rising 6th grader Layla Phaphouvaninh completed a layup after a nasty crossover to give Massillon a three point lead with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game. Triway evened the score up a few minutes later, but Massillon went on a six-point run to put the game out of reach after that. Lania Moore had the key play in the run with a beautiful finish off a euro step in transition. Massillon completed the upset by holding on for a 35-34 win to advance to the league championship game. Pierce and Phaphouvaninh led the way for Massillon with 10 and eight points, respectively. Wirth (14 points) and Titler (10 points) led Triway in defeat.

Five-time defending champion Retired Not Expired faced off with Smithville in the other semifinal. Smithville hammered the veterans 38-14 on the first night of league play. Smithville, perhaps even more motivated after their only loss in league play the night before against Triway, wasted no time in securing their spot in the championship game. The Smithies bolted out to a 19-3 lead and were never seriously challenged the rest of the way, notching the 56-42 victory. Smithville hit nine three pointers during the game, including four triples from Madi Singer, who led the way with 14 points. Naomi Keib added two three pointers as part of her 13 total points as well. Kailynn Wickens led the defending champions with 13 points in defeat.

This set the stage for a championship game battle between the veteran Smithville Smithies and the upstart Massillon Tigers. The game was hotly contested from the beginning as Massillon was able to use their quickness to break down Smithville’s trademark half court defense. Lania Moore, the quickest of the Massillon guards, darted her way into the paint for eight points during the first half. When Smithville started helping on her drives, Moore kicked the ball out for three-point field goals from Telia Russell and Alyssa Jekubik. Smithville was trying to take advantage of their size mismatches inside on the offensive end of the floor. The Smithies scored 11 of their 24 first half points at the free throw line as a result. Aly Wickens led the Smithies with nine first half points, with all but two of the points coming from the free throw line.

Delaney Pierce started the second half with a three pointer from the left wing to tie the score at 24-24. Makiya Edwards added two free throws a couple of minutes later to give Massillon their first lead of the second half at 27-26. Lania Moore converted after another drive through the Smithville defense to put Massillon ahead 29-26. Aly Wickens would not let Smithville lose on this night though. Wickens continued to score in the paint and knocked down two more free throws to finish the 38-35 championship game victory with a game high 17 points. Moore finished with 12 points to lead Massillon.

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