Published: 12:10 AM, Wed Jan 09, 2013
Seventy-First girls use pressure to top Pine Forest 61-46
By Jaclyn Shambaugh
Staff writer
Seventy-First forward Kelsey Bradley had a breakout night Tuesday, scoring a game-high 20 points in the Falcons' 61-46 win over visiting Pine Forest.
But the real star of the Mid-South matchup was the Falcons' full-court press, a suffocating defensive stance that frustrated the Trojans throughout the night.
And Pine Forest coach Jeff Bruner even knew it was coming.
"We spent an hour and a half of practice yesterday on the press because we knew we were going to see it," said the coach, who is in his first year at the helm of the girls' basketball program. "And honestly, it took us about an hour and fifteen minutes just to be OK with it in practice."
The Trojans (10-5, 1-3 Mid-South) fared no better in a live-game setting. The Falcons (14-0, 4-0 Mid-South) jumped out to a 17-7 lead at the end of the first quarter, boosted by eight points in the frame by Bradley.
Bradley said the quick start was the result of a Falcon effort to stand strong against the Trojans' own aggressive style of play.
"We were just trying to hold our own," Bradley said. "I was trying to be strong inside, take it the basket and get two points."
The Falcons had settled into a 41-21 lead at halftime, but the Falcons continued to press in what coach Tracie Taylor said is an effort to improve her entire roster's game experience.
"We noticed a weakness in the Holiday Classic tournament in not having the numbers on the press," Taylor said. "We're really trying to approach it because we want everyone to have game pressing time, because it's really not the same as in practice."
Pine Forest managed to gain some traction in the third quarter. The Trojans outscored the Falcons 20-14 and closed the deficit to 51-41 with 40 seconds to play in the period on a layup by guard Monet Turnipseed.
Turnipseed led Pine Forest with 14 points.
Seventy-First 61, Pine Forest 46
PINE FOREST- Bethea 6, Chantel Hodge 10, May 7, Evans 9, Monet Turnipseed 14.
SEVENTY-FIRST- Quintero 4, Marcianna Munn 11, Ashley McCray 12, Odom 2, Davis 2, Kelsey Bradley 20, Foster 1, Bush 9
Fouled out: None
Technical fouls: None
3-point goals: PF - Bethea, Hodge 2, Turnipseed. SF - Munn, McCray
Records: Pine Forest 10-5, 1-3; Seventy-First 14-0, 4-0