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Chaparral girls start off strong
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January 12, 2005
It was way too easy, way too early for Chaparral.
The No. 1-ranked Firebirds’ fast break got them an early big lead, and they were able to keep it on Tuesday as they downed No. 4 Saguaro 46-38 in a 4A East Sky Region girls basketball game.
" We lost the game in the first five minutes,’’ Saguaro coach Brent Carter said. "We just didn’t get back in the paint with their big girls running the floor.’’
He’s 100 percent correct as the Sabercats trailed right from the start and were behind, 12-6, after the first quarter.
Junior forward Alex Russell scored eight of her gamehigh 16 points in the first quarter as she was able to beat the Saguaro post players down the floor and score on easy layups.
"Most of the time I was the first person down there so I got some easy baskets,’’ Russell said.
It didn’t help Saguaro that, on top of its slow transition defense, that it shot just 18 percent in the first half and committed nine turnovers. It came as no surprise that Chaparral led, 25-12, at the half. Russell closed out the half with a 3-point play with 23 seconds left.
Saguaro’s defense and better shooting helped cut the lead to single digits heading into the fourth quarter at 29-21. Rekia Richmond opened the second half with a 3-pointer to get the Sabercats’ offense going.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the Sabercats (12-8, 6-1) scored six straight points to cut the lead to 38-34 and make for a nervous Chaparral crowd. It had been a rather relaxing game until Amanda Flynn’s basket with 3:45 left cut the deficit to four points.
Chaparral’s free-throw shooting didn’t help it keep the lead. The Firebirds were just 4-of-10 from the freethrow line in the final two minutes.
"I don’t think we did as well as we should have from the free-throw line,’’ Chaparral coach Marcy Sanchez said.
The Firebirds (16-3, 7-0) also got some key baskets out of freshman Aria Krumwiede, who had 11 points in the game. Senior Jessica De Paolo added nine, including five key free throws late in the fourth quarter.
After making a game of it late, Carter can’t wait for the rematch.
"I hope they are still No. 1 when we play them again,’’ Carter said.
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