The girls’ basketball team finished 2015 with a powerful bang.
After losing the first game of the Pink & White Lady Classic Tournament to the Bolivar Liberators, the Lady Bruins went on to win each of the next three games, including a game today in the consolation finals, edging out a 47-42 win against the Clever Blue Jays.
“Clever was a very good team,” head coach Jill Nagel said. “They’ve got two very good guards who can shoot the three and drive to the basket, along with two nice post players who they can pass it to as well and score. They’re a very nice team.”
CHS’s valuable assets allowed them to gain a strong advantage on the Lady Bruins early in the game. After the end of the first quarter, the Blue Jays led the game 14-8, and managed to expand onto their already comfortable lead with a 13-0 run. However, RBHS immediately responded back with their own run, scoring 18 consecutive points and led the game 35-34 by the end of the third quarter.
“At the beginning of the third quarter, Clever went on a run, but we didn’t quit and got some steals and stops resulting in easy layups,” sophomore Payton McCallister said, who was one of the leading scorers of the game with 14. “We just kept the energy up and went on a run, allowing us to win the quarter and take the lead.”
While junior Avery Schroeder believes that RBHS’s offensive efforts led to the run, she said that there were other factors which further decided the game for the Lady Bruins.
“I think our defense definitely led to our run in the third quarter,” Schroeder said. “We didn’t come out as strong as we wanted to at the start of the second half, but once we were able to get some consecutive stops on the defensive end, we were able to generate some offense.”
Although the tables had already turned for the Blue Jays, they desperately attempted a comeback in hopes of leaving St. Charles the victors. Through their efforts, they managed to keep the game close. However, the reigning state champions stifled the Blue Jays’ offense and kept their lead until the final horn blared.
After leaving St. Charles with the consolation trophy, RBHS is now looking forward to 2016. With aims of winning a fifth consecutive state championship in March, the tournament was a learning experience for the team and will hopefully carry on into the second half of the season.
“On this three-game win streak, the hope is that we can use that to help us springboard into 2016,” Nagel said. “We’re going back to practice tomorrow and obviously we aren’t perfect, but we have things we’re going to work on and get ready for Saturday’s game.”
What do you think of the Lady Bruins’ season so far? Let us know in the comments.