The Kenston Bombers picked up a 46-41 home win Jan. 4 against Eastlake. It was the first WRC action for the Bombers this year, putting them at 1-0 in conference play.
The Kenston Bombers picked up a 46-41 home win Jan. 4 against Eastlake.
It was the first WRC action for the Bombers this year, putting them at 1-0 in conference play.
“We said you can’t get number two until you get number one,” Kenston Head Coach Kevin Hinkle said. “Ten of our last 11 games are in the conference. We got one, and now we focus on two and don’t look past that.”
The first quarter was all Mariela Marcias, who notched six of her eight first-half points in the period.
”In certain situations, you have to step up as a player,” Marcias said of her offensive explosion as a natural pass-first guard. “With Aurora having to sit with fouls and Morgan getting face-guarded, I knew I had to step up and score.”
The Bombers jumped out to a 6-0 advantage, but North chipped back behind Kaitlin Dobida, who scored or assisted on each Ranger basket to make it 12-8 at the quarters end.
Kenston got off to another quick start in the second. Marcias found Regan Trusley at the top of the arc, who knocked down the three, followed by an Emily Grubich layup to balloon the lead back to eight.
North again rallied to close the quarter. Alex Hamilton knocked down a mid-range jumper and found Annie Gillespie – who was pure with the corner three – to cut the lead down to three at the half.
As they had all game, the Bombers began the third quarter with a barrage, and Marcias continued to show her mastery of the offense, picking up four assists and hitting a long two.
“I think it’s just all the practice I’ve put in, and being so close with the girls I play with,” Marcias said of her ability to set up her teammates. “I’ve grown up playing with all of them since about fourth grade, so knowing how to play with each other and where they are going at all times has been so helpful to me.”
Kenston’s defense forced multiple Ranger turnovers, including a Trusley steal leading to a coast-to-coast layup.
“I loved how we were able to pressure the ball for 32 minutes,” Coach Hinkle said of the defensive performance. “We want to be able to rely on our man and not sit back in a zone, and I think playing a tough stretch of games to start the season helped us understand what it takes to play a complete game.”
Aurora Young – who had to manage foul trouble early – made her presence felt in the third with four points, a steal and an assist.
The biggest difference-maker in the third, however, was Morgan Cicek. She collected eight of her game-high 17 points in the quarter and helped the Bombers take their largest lead of the day at 34-20.
“All the offseason work transferred onto the court,” Cicek said of her performance. “I just want to do anything I can to help the team win and step up in these big games.”
The Rangers fought back, utilizing the outside shot. Mir Ashley and Dobida each knocked one down before Gillespie hit her second lifeline of the day to close out the quarter and cut the lead to five.
Flourishing in the role of facilitator, Marcias found Kait Paystrup early in the fourth for three to kill the Ranger Rally.
A Marcias steal led to a trip to the line for Paystrup, who hit both, bringing the lead back to 10.
“That comes from not only the bench, but the coaches,” Marcias said of her unit’s ability to display full effort on both ends of the court. “They are hyping us up, and that support allows us to keep working on offense and defense.”
Maddy Ferrari and Hamilton would deliver from deep for the Rangers, but Cicek steal-and-score prevent edNorth from getting back within five before the final buzzer.
Kenston would return to the floor Wednesday and look to remain undefeated in WRC play at Riverside.
