02/11/2015
Warriors upend Little 4 champ Crusaders 60-52 in non-conference tilt
By Aaron Finley, For The Times-Standard
POSTED: 02/10/15, 11:28 PM PST | 0 COMMENTS
CRESCENT CITY >> Grace Bruschi scored a game-high 20 points to lead three players in double figures, as the Del Norte Warriors overcame an early seven-point deficit to defeat the St. Bernard’s Crusaders 60-52 in non-conference girls’ basketball action at Crescent City Tuesday evening.
At the outset it was the Crusaders that were able to get things going on both ends of the court, as Makenna Schoenofer scored seven of her team-high 15 points in the opening quarter, but was relegated to the role of spectator for large stretches of the first half due to two quick early fouls. Schoenofer wasn’t the only player in foul difficulty, as the Warriors played large stretches of the first two quarters without Bruschi and guard Regin Loftin
Despite having their floor general on the sideline in foul trouble, the Crusaders were still able to take full advantage of their depth, particularly on the perimeter, to maintain the advantage.
The trio of Betsy Brown, Becca Parker and Kayla Bonimini picked up the slack on both ends of the floor in the absence of Schoenofer, as the Crusaders took a 25-18 lead late into the second quarter and appeared to have the momentum heading into the locker room at intermission.
Brown scored 12 points on the night, with Parker adding 10, seven of those coming in the second quarter. Bonimini chipped in with eight.
The Warriors responded with an 8-2 run to close the first half though, capped by Loftin hitting one of two free throws with under one second to go in the second quarter, cutting the Crusaders lead to 27-26 at the break.
That momentum from the late second-quarter surge continued well into the third quarter, as the 8-2 run to close the first half turned into a 14-3 run in the early stages of the second half, with the Warriors erasing what had been a seven-point deficit and taking a 32-28 lead of their own at the 6:15 mark of the third quarter.
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That surge, coupled with a Warrior defense that forced the Crusaders into one-and-done offensive possessions, contested shots at that, the home team was able to not only keep the momentum, but extend the advantage.
The Little 4 champion Crusaders refused to go away, responding with a mini-run of their own and cutting the Warrior lead to 56-50 with 2:19 still remaining on the clock.
That would be as close as the Crusaders would come though, as a Jordan Babich layup on an inbounds play and two Claire Smith free throws on the Warriors’ ensuing possession following a Crusaders miss from deep sealed the victory.
