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Girls Basketball: Bowman calm early, rolls late
Updated: February 18, 2012 9:36PM
ROCHESTER — Bowman coach Janora Holmes is the measure of placidity on the sidelines. No working the refs. No over-the-top screaming at her players. No drama in the huddle.
Perhaps Holmes can afford to be that way because she knows she has the right players for almost any challenge.
On Saturday, Bowman rode Holmes’ consistent message of staying calm and focused in the face of some intense pressure from Winamac in a 67-56 victory in the semifinals of the Class 2A Rochester Regional.
“I just told them to play their game and there would be a positive outcome,” Holmes said.
Coach knows best.
The Eagles had every right to be slightly rattled at halftime after the Warriors overcame a four-point second-quarter deficit and took a 30-28 lead into the locker room.
In a game with a lot of ebb and flow in the first half, Winamac scored six straight — the last on a bucket by Katy Anspach with 10 seconds left in the half, giving them the two-point lead. It could’ve been worse after Rachel Tetzloff stole the ball underneath the basket and just missed a 10-footer at the buzzer.
The halftime lecture from Holmes was consistent with her sideline demeanor: Relax, don’t worry about the fouls or the officiating, play your game and everything is going to be all right.
Sure enough, the Eagles came out and ran off six straight points to take the lead. A basket by RaShwanda Dunlap with 5:11 left made it 36-30, sending Bowman off to the races.
Finally, the Eagles had Winamac in the fast-paced, high-pressure vice that they wanted.
They never could quite deliver the knockout punch, running the lead up to eight in the third quarter and 11 by late in the fourth.
Still, they were able to hold off the Warriors anytime they made a mini run. Princess German led Bowman with 25 points.
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