The varsity girls basketball team, which has struggled in recent years, demonstrated their winning abilities on Tuesday night in the Crisp and Rec Gyms. After a leak in the ceiling left the court wet, the game had to move over to Shorecrest’s second gym.
The Chargers grabbed onto the lead early and didn’t take their foot off the gas. The defense was the highlight of the first half. Seniors Annabelle Ferguson and Eve Bonnemort and junior Izzi Brown each contributed multiple steals.
The team communicated well and got around screens from the rival Out-of-Door Academy Thunder. Junior Gia Bessolo said, “I think we communicated well, and we worked more with one another and as a team.”
The Chargers also had limited turnovers, which had recently been a problem. On the flip side, they created turnovers by swarming the ball and creating difficult passing lanes for the Thunder.
With 55 seconds remaining in the first half, Bonnemort slipped, and the referees began to look at the floor, which was pooling water due to a leak in the ceiling. The game paused for over ten minutes while the referees, coaches, and administrators deliberated on what to do.
Ultimately, the rest of the half was played out, and the second half was moved across the hall to the Rec Gym. At most schools, the game would have been canceled, but, luckily, Shorecrest’s second gym was a mere ten steps away.
About the change, Bessolo said, “At first, it was a little weird … but that’s where we practice, so it’s like we were on our actual home court.”
In the new location, the Chargers struggled. They had difficulty rebounding, allowing the Thunder to have longer possessions that led to more points. The Thunder began full-court pressing in the second half, which created some turnovers along with sloppy overhead passes by the Chargers.
The Chargers also ran into some foul trouble in the second half. They reached five team fouls, enough to give the opposition a bonus in both the third and fourth quarters. Three key players, Ferguson, Brown, and freshman Jenna Burnett, were all in danger of fouling out.
However, the Chargers, by the skin of their teeth, were able to maintain the lead thanks to clutch points by Bessolo, Burnett, and Ferguson. Bessolo said, “It feels great. The past seasons, we didn’t collect very many wins, so getting another win feels great.”
Player of the game: Jenna Burnett
Burnett scored early and often for the Chargers. She led the team with 16 points in the contest. She also was a rebounding machine, grabbing boards to keep possessions alive and take chances away from the Thunder.
Standout performers:
Izzi Brown:
Despite only recording two points, Brown was a factor for the entire game. Her communication with her teammates kept them organized on the court. She controlled the game with her careful passing and ability to dribble around defenders.
Annabelle Ferguson:
Ferguson had several steals, leading to Chargers buckets. Her aggressiveness was evident in this game, as she forced jump balls and rarely allowed Thunder players to get past her. On offense, she tallied six points.
Recap:
Despite some troublesome moments in the second half, the Chargers’ strong defense and sustained possessions allowed them to maintain the lead for the entire game and defeat Out-of-Door Academy by a score of 34-31. They are now 4-9 and play next against a district opponent, the Northside Christian Mustangs, at home on January 24th at 6:00 pm.