Heath Bulldogs girls basketball pesters Lakewood to reach 4-0
HEBRON — An up-tempo physical girls basketball game turned into chaos at times Friday.
That is just how Heath likes it. The visiting Bulldogs wore down the Lancers and broke open a 45-29 victory during the third quarter in Licking County League-Cardinal Division play.
“It’s so nice. We are picking up right off where we ended (last season),” Heath junior Caroline Robertson said. “We’ve worked a lot on defense, and that’s always been our thing. This year, our main goal is to take a lot of pride in our defense, and obviously, it’s worked out well.”
Robertson continued her hot start with 16 points, but it certainly was the defensive end where Heath (4-0, 2-0), which graduated just one senior last season, is making its hay.
The Bulldogs outscored the Lancers 17-8 in the pivotal third quarter. They have only allowed an average of 30 points in their four victories with senior guards Taliyah Holmes and Allie Dunlap making opponents’ lives miserable on the perimeter.
“We told the kids from the beginning of the season defense travels with us,” Heath coach Katy Barry said. “Anybody can play defense. Anybody can bring the energy. They have bought into it obviously. It’s been fun to watch.”
Lakewood (2-2, 0-2) stayed in the game early with a 3-pointer apiece from junior Grace Sturgell and senior Addison Pound in the first quarter, and junior Becca Streets buried a 3 to open the third quarter to pull the Lancers within 20-18. The Bulldogs’ constant harassment, however, eventually got to them.
Forced to play at a quicker pace, Lakewood was unable to complete plays in transition and finish inside when given the opportunity against the smaller Bulldogs. It was a continuation of the Lancers’ narrow 54-50 loss at Northridge on Tuesday.
“It’s the little things. We are not making easy baskets, we are missing free throws and we are giving up transition points,” Lakewood coach Rob Compton said. “A combination of all of that has really hurt us. The effort’s there.”
Robertson, a 3-point marksman with games of 24 and 19 points in the early going, led Heath with 16 points, but she did most of her work in transition off outlet passes from Holmes. Sophomore Sydney Cottrell followed with eight points, scoring twice on the doorstep of passes from Holmes during the third-quarter onslaught, and Holmes added seven points, sophomore Peyton DelCecato six and junior Kerilyn Davis five.
“I just learned that I need to shoot when I am open,” Robertson said. “That’s my role on the team. I owe it to my teammates to do my job like they do theirs. The nice thing about our team is we are all capable of scoring. If I’m off, somebody else is on.”
Sturgell led the Lancers with eight points, but the Bulldogs did not let her catch fire. Streets added seven points and Pound five.
Compton, whose team graduated four starters, rotated eight players almost continuously throughout the first three quarters, a few of whom are getting their first taste of varsity action. It could pay off when the Lancers see their Cardinal foes a second time.
“If you get that opportunity, you step in, and you make the most of it because that is going to determine your playing time in the future,” Compton said.
Heath, which did not pick up its fourth win last season until late January, will be tested when perennial power Fort Frye visits on Monday. The Bulldogs have a trip to Hamilton Township and a visit from Utica later next week before they reach a measuring stick with a home game against Granville on Dec. 13.
“We kind of figured things out towards January and February, and we had a good summer,” Barry said. “They came in ready to work in October. You can tell the ones that put in the time in the offseason, and it’s carrying over. The trust and buy-in to our program has been behind the success.”
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