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Girls Basketball: Waubonsie takes over in second half vs Geneva
Updated: February 10, 2012 11:46PM
Adjustments. It is what separates the very good teams and the great teams.
Waubonsie Valley girls basketball coach Kim Connell had seen enough of host Geneva’s high-octane, nagging fullcourt press that picked the Warriors apart for 15 turnovers in the first half. She settled her team down and saw them respond with a 56-43 victory Friday night in an Upstate Eight Valley Crossover game between the top divisional teams that had the energy of a state championship game.
“We just talked about keeping our composure on their press, handing the ball better, keeping our heads up and seeing the court,” Connell said.
The simple advice paid enormous dividends as Waubonsie Valley (23-2, 12-1) took a two-point lead to start the third quarter and went on to snatch the momentum from the Vikings (22-4, 11-2), who were held scoreless in the period until Geneva forward Sami Pawlak (4-of-19 from the field) hit a layup with 26 seconds left in the quarter. By passing its way out of Geneva’s stifling press, the Warriors went down low to 6-foot-3 center Rachael Ross, who scored nine of her 14 points in the third quarter pinning the Vikings against the ropes.
Guard Tami Morice knocked down four 3-pointers and had a game-high 19 points.
The backcourt duo for Geneva — Rachel Hinchman (team-high 13 points) and Michaela Loebel — tirelessly darted around and swiped steals, but it was the flat offensive night (32 percent from the field) that did in the Vikings.
“I felt like we had OK shots, sometimes the ball didn’t bounce our way. The third quarter really killed us,” said Vikings coach Sarah Meadows.
Both teams go on to host their own regional.
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