G. Michael Graham Photo. Highlands guard Haley Coffey (center) brings the ball upcourt in Friday's game at Lloyd Memorial while Ava Abner (22) gets in position. Coffey scored six points in the Bluebirds' 73-59 win. That marked Highlands' 20th win of the season.
By G. MICHAEL GRAHAM
Fort Thomas Matters Sports Reporter
ERLANGER – One
magic number for them has been 71.
When the
Highlands Bluebirds girls basketball team has scored that many points or more
in a game, the end result is a victory. The Bluebirds did that for the sixth
time this season and third time during the current four-game winning streak in
a 73-59 victory over the host Lloyd Memorial Lady Juggernauts on Friday.
Highlands
moved to 20-7 with the win and Lloyd fell to 7-16. The Bluebirds have averaged
17.5 wins per season since Jaime Walz-Richey took over as head coach in 2002
but have not reached the 20-win plateau since the 2008-09 campaign. Highlands
moved to 12-2 in 9th Region play.
Highlands
saw 11 different player score during the win. The Bluebirds made 25-of-61 shots
for 41 percent and 16-of-23 free-throw attempts for 70 percent in the win. They
also made seven three-pointers.
“We’ll continue to shoot in practice a lot,” Richey said. “I
think that helps in games. They’re confident in one another that they’ll make
that extra pass for their teammates to shoot.”
The senior
Twin Towers once again led the way for Highlands. Jesse “Dirt” Daley finished
with 14 points. The other Twin Tower in Leah Schaefer and sophomore Alex Combs
followed with 11 each. Another senior in Emilie Parton finished just shy of
double-digits with nine points as she made two three-pointers. Schaefer also
recorded six rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots.
Five
different Highlands players made three-pointers. Parton and McKenzie Leigh made
two each with Schaefer, Combs and Vanessa Fisse making one each.
“When we get (the ball) in to Jesse and Leah, they
collapse on them,” Leigh said. “They have to kick it out to the shooters.
Then we can drive and shoot. That opens up scoring (opportunities) for
everybody.”
Highlands
trapped the perimeter a lot and forced 23 Lloyd turnovers while committing just
10. The Bluebirds recorded nine steals to five for the Lady Juggernauts. Haley
Coffey, Ava Abner and Schaefer led the way with two thefts each.
“We pressed some and when we did, we got some steals,
which was good for the team,” Richey
said. “But we also gave up some lay-ups.
We can’t do that with the two regular-season games we have left and in the
postseason against (Newport Central Catholic).”
In the
process, Highlands committed just nine fouls to 15 for Lloyd. Only one player had
more than one foul for the Bluebirds.
“It’s very difficult,” Parton said of balancing between being aggressive and
not fouling. “You just have to stay on
your feet and make sure you’re keeping the ball in front of you and you’ll be
fine.”
The
Bluebirds also won the rebounding battle, 34-26. They scored a lot of second-chance
points outrebounding the hosts, 18-6 on the offensive glass.
Highlands
would still like to tighten up its defense heading into the postseason. Lloyd
made 22-of-41 shots for 54 percent and 8-of-12 free throws for 67 percent.
The Lady
Juggernauts saw nine different players score led by Shelby Rudd’s double-double
of 28 points and 10 rebounds. Rudd made all seven of Lloyd’s three-pointers.
“You have to give Shelby credit,” Richey said. “She
made some three’s with people in her face. All of her shots were not open. We
have to make sure we do a better job of not helping off her and making sure she
doesn’t get the ball.”
Lloyd led
4-3 early, but Highlands surged ahead for good with a 13-0 run. Dayley scored
six points during that run and Parton had five. The Bluebirds led 20-9 at
halftime. The Lady Juggernauts came no closer after that point.
Highlands
used a 9-0 run to go up 38-15 with 2:05 left in the half following a Tomi
Blanton steal and score. The Bluebirds led 41-22 at halftime.
The lead
expanded to 20 at 54-34 entering the fourth quarter. Schaefer led Highlands
with four points in that stanza.
Highlands
plays host to Walton-Verona (16-7) at 2:30 p.m. today. Walton-Verona won the
All “A” State Championship and 8th Region crown last year.
