Staff photo / Preston Byers. Crestview’s Karli Perry attempts a layup in traffic during Wednesday’s win vs. Salem in East Fairfield.

EAST FAIRFIELD — Crestview and Salem entered Wednesday’s game trending in different directions. For the visiting Quakers, they had lost four in a row, three of which by double digits, while the 17-1 Rebels had won eight straight, including their last seven by an average of 44 points.

But when the teams met on the floor in Columbiana, they appeared to be much more evenly matched than recent results would indicate. That is until midway through the third quarter, when a series of missed Quaker free throws during a Crestview cold spell turned into an extended Rebel run in which Crestview outscored Salem 35-9 and pulled away en route to a 70-33 victory.

“I thought Salem had a really good plan. They did some unconventional things defensively. They really tried to take the ball out of Addi’s (Addison Rhodes) hands. I thought in the first half they did a nice job,” Rebels head coach Aaron Blatch said. “Proud of our kids, we had some girls step up and make some shots. … We got a little something from everybody.”

Crestview got off to the kind of start a one-loss team typically does; led by the senior duo of Rhodes and Ava Bucey, the Rebels jumped out to an 8-1 lead in the opening minutes before Salem responded with a 7-1 run.

The teams remained separated by single digits until the final 90 seconds of the first half, when the Rebels, whose top scorer in Rhodes had been expertly contained, went on a 10-2 run in the span of 1:23 to take a 32-21 lead into halftime.

Facing a press and strategic blitzes when Rhodes touched the ball, Crestview’s prolific offense continued to sputter in the early part of the second half. Fortunately for the Rebels, Salem’s proved little better, as both teams scored a combined six points as the midway point of the third quarter neared. Unlike their opponents, though, the Quakers’ troubles turned out to be the beginning of the end.

Following a basket by Karli Perry 31 seconds into the quarter, Crestview went the next three-and-half minutes without a field goal. In that time, Salem attempted six free throws, which if they had been made, would have meant a six-point deficit. However, only one went through the net, keeping the Rebels lead at 11 and allowing Crestview time to find its groove.

Rhodes ended her team’s drought with 4:06 left in the third period as part of a personal run of eight straight points. The Rebels subsequently forced a timeout from Salem when the Quakers, trying to shut down Rhodes in transition with multiple defenders, inadvertently allowed an easy fast-break bucket by Katie MacKay.

Although the timeout did prove successful in kickstarting the Salem offense — Peyton Colbert immediately made the Quakers’ first field goal since 15 seconds into the half — it could not stop the Rebels.

Crestview finished the third quarter with four consecutive points at the free-throw line before overwhelming Salem in the fourth. The Quakers did not score for the first 4:38 of the period, and in the meantime, the Rebels scored 15 unanswered as part of a 19-0 run spanning more than five-and-half minutes.

Salem scored just four points in the fourth as Crestview pulled away to its seventh straight win by 36 or more points.

“I thought the pressure wore on them a little bit,” Blatch said of the run in the second half. “At times, they did a nice job executing against the press, but in most matchups, I think if we can keep with it, eventually there’s going to be a little run. Addi got out and ran. With us playing in the full court a little bit more, that kinda creates a little more space for her, and it’s harder for them to double and face-guard and deny her.”

Rhodes finished the night with a game-high 27 points and a perfect 10-of-10 showing at the free-throw line, while Bucey, who hit a game-high three 3-pointers, had 23 points. For the Quakers, Maddy Andres and Colbert led the way with 13 and 12 points, respectively.

The Rebels improved to 18-1 on the season with Wednesday’s win. They visit Austintown Fitch on Saturday before finishing Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Grey Tier play next Monday at LaBrae, which is 17-2 overall, 12-1 in league play and can spoil an outright conference title for the Rebels.

As for Salem (10-10, 4-6 in Eastern Buckeye Conference), Wednesday’s loss marked the fifth in a row for the Quakers, who have not won since Jan. 14. They play at Hubbard tonight and are set to finish their regular season on the road vs. Beaver Local next Wednesday.