Boys Basketball: Joseph leads Bulldogs to win

Updated: December 23, 2011 11:16PM

CROWN POINT — Alexis Joseph barely left the bench the previous two years.

Under first-year Crown Point coach Annie Equihua, the Bulldogs center only sits there now if she’s catching her breath, or in foul trouble.

“I didn’t even know if I was even going to play this year,” said Joseph, who registered her third consecutive double-double by recording game-highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds in Crown Point’s 57-31 win over Munster (4-8) Friday night.

“I like getting in there and getting all those rebounds. I really like the physical game. I’d rather be in there getting rebounds than scoring.”

Joseph is really becoming consistent at doing both — scoring and rebounding — for CP (8-4).

In addition to hitting 8-of-9 shots from the floor, Joseph had three steals and two assists against the Mustangs, and played well defensively.

“It’s taken her a while to get her confidence back,” Equihua said. “She’s playing even better right now than she did last summer when she really battled. Alexis battled all summer long. She’s not only playing well right now, but excelling as well. I’m just so happy and proud of her. What she’s doing right now is the result of a lot of hard work.”

Equihua said Joseph admitted over the summer that she didn’t have much confidence in herself.

“I definitely lost a lot of confidence the past two years,” said Joseph, who now wants to play at the next level — likely for a Division II or III program.

“I haven’t changed anything I’ve been doing from last year to this year. I just kept working like I always did. I love playing for coach Annie. She knows what she’s doing.”

While Joseph had a big game for CP, Courtney Kvachkoff scored 12 points and added four steals for the Bulldogs.

“We just want to keep playing well,” Joseph said. “Our team can win the sectional -- and that’s our goal this season. It’s something we definitely want to do.”

Munster coach Matt Backs said his team had trouble defending the post.

“We got killed inside by anybody,” he lamented. “They didn’t need to shoot well from the outside tonight, because if you look at the shot chart almost everything was inside.”

The Mustangs also committed 26 turnovers — many unforced — and shot only 29.7 percent from the floor while being out-rebounded, 34-23, including 13-5 off the offensive glass.

“The schedule and stretch of games we’ve had during this five-game losing streak has hurt the kids’ psyches and confidence,” Backs said.

Fortunately, for the Mustangs and Backs, the schedule softens a bit.

“There are some games coming up where we have a chance to win, if we play well. But you’re only as good as your last game.”

Jolie Watson led Munster with 13 points off the bench.

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