As the Lady Bruins prepared for the tipoff against St. Joseph Lafayette high school Dec. 10, it was clear they were confident in their game plan. The girls’ basketball team, having come off three decisive wins in a row, was ready to fight for another victory- notably for the home opener.
Coach Jill Nagel outlined a strategy based on good defense in order to target SJLHS specifically.
”Our primary focus all week was on defense, specifically working on our man to man defense,” Nagel said. “I thought, for the most part, we executed the defensive game plan as we had practiced.”
With well-executed passes, quick thinking and smart shots, the game’s final score of 58-34 reflects the efficient and effective work of the RBHS players. The lineup particularly showcased their teamwork with four athletes scoring upwards of 10 points. The plays made after halftime particularly impressed junior guard Katey Klucking.
“The team played really well today, especially in the second half,” Klucking said. “We started using our quickness a lot more and making transition layups and really just finding the great shot instead of a good shot.”
Though the Bruins faced a couple of obstacles, senior guard Elle Brown saw the team persistently confront those hurdles face on and push through for the win.
“There were a few challenges for our younger post players. When they had to come in and guard #54 (St.Joseph’s post) they were undersized,” Brown said. “They did an awesome job of guarding though and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”  
In preparation for their Tuesday night game against Moberly high school, Brown and her teammates plan to focus in on rebounds, as well as continuing a more collaborative approach to the sport.
“I’m looking forward to getting more rebounds as a team [because] we really pride ourselves on our defense,” said Brown. “If we play great defense but then don’t get the rebound it’s kind of disheartening to know how hard we worked and then let the ball get away from us.”
Are you planning on watching an RBHS basketball game this season?