Tenacious D plays winning tune for Heath basketball against Zanesville

On Jan 19, 2023

HEATH — The Heath girls basketball team is no longer simply a feel-good early-season story. The Bulldogs have staying power, and they showed Wednesday they might have more to come.

Heath’s defense made life miserable for visiting Zanesville in a 52-36 victory in Licking County League play. The Bulldogs (11-5, 7-3), who won just six games last season, remained tied in the loss column with Newark Catholic for first place in the Cardinal Division.

“It’s been crazy,” said senior A’mya Royster, who missed the first half of the season with an injury and has added to the Bulldogs’ athleticism and physicality at the defensive end. “I never thought we would be in this position. We are on a roll, and we are just going to keep going.”

Classmate Allie Dunlap also missed time earlier in the season. Her speed at the defensive end, and the quick hands from Taliyah Holmes, the Bulldogs’ standout senior point guard, are game changers. They held the Blue Devils (6-9, 5-5) to seven points in the third quarter to blow it open.

“It was defense definitely,” Royster said. “We had to stay with our man, give help at all times and just talk.”

Heath led 29-20 at halftime and did not let up. Holmes scored in transition for a 3-point play, and junior Caroline Robertson scored twice on breakaways first off a steal and second off a long outlet from Royster after she wrestled away a defensive rebound in traffic.

Junior Kerilyn Davis added five points off the bench in the third quarter. It left Zanesville coach Jeff Moore shaking his head.

“They came to play; we didn’t,” Moore said. “They were all playing hard, defending. I don’t know how many offensive rebounds they got, especially in the first half. They just out-physicaled us and outhustled us. It’s pretty simple.”

Heath led 43-27 after three quarters. Zanesville scored the first two baskets of the fourth quarter to give a hint of a rally, but Royster blocked a 3-pointer in transition and drew a foul on a drive, hitting two free throws to keep the momentum on the Bulldogs’ side.

Holmes opened the game with a 3-pointer from the right wing, and she had filled every column on the stat sheet by the end of the first quarter. She hit sophomore Peyton DelCecato and Robertson for layups in the lane and even blocked a layup in transition during the first half.

“(Scoring) straight off the bat gives me even more energy to lead my team,” Holmes said. “We knew that they were going to come ready to be physical, and we just had to punch them in the mouth right at the beginning.”

Zanesville played a competitive game with once-beaten Granville for the second time this season last Saturday, but the Blue Devils were unable to build off it. They will be challenged with a visit from Watkins Memorial on Saturday with visits from DeSales on Monday and Newark Catholic on Wednesday to follow.

Junior Kandrea Sowers led the Blue Devils with 10 points. Classmate Jersey Draughn added nine points.

“It’s just trying to get us to be consistent,” Moore said. “We are having issues with that. We have had it all year. When you don’t shoot well and you don’t defend, it snowballs.”

Heath hit a bump in the road, losing five of six after a 7-0 start. The Bulldogs regrouped, and a second victory against Johnstown started their current three-game winning streak.

Heath, which visits Utica on Saturday, has a formula that works.

“We just hang our hat on defense and getting after it,” Heath coach Katy Barry said. “I just told the girls you guys are just nasty defensively. Nobody wants to deal with your aggressiveness. All five of them do their job and do their role.”

Holmes led the Bulldogs with 16 points, and Robertson was right behind with 15. Seven players reached the scoring column.