Spartan girls beat Kofa for season’s first win
El CENTRO — Playing at home on Tuesday, the Central Union girls’ basketball team claimed its first win of the season, edging the Kofa High Kings by a score of 48-43.
It may not have been the slickest production, but there’s no litigating the result. There’s no catch and release on the hardwood.
Barring a brief stretch in the third quarter, where the Spartans managed to stretch their lead almost to double digits, the game was close throughout in classic “who wants it more” fashion.
Actually both teams seemed to want it a good deal.
Like Central, Kofa entered the game having lost its opener, and their play was no less hungry than the Spartans’.
The typical possession of this game was somewhere between a scramble and a wrestling match, as both outfits sensed that transition baskets were their most potent source of offense and hunted turnovers relentlessly.
It was probably the right approach for both teams as neither exhibited much effectiveness in the half court.
Each side had a couple of players who could shoot it passably well and a ball handler or two capable of dribble-drives, but neither fielded a terrific at-the-rim finisher, leading to a lot of missed bunnies and interior fouls.
A back-and-forth first half saw Kofa emerge from the anarchy with a one-basket lead at 26-24, but the Spartans came out hot in the second half and went on an 11-0 run, even managing to get some of those points on designed plays by dragging the defense from side to side and getting penetration at the corners.
At 35-26 Central, the Kings finally managed to stem the tide with a banked three. But the damage was done and, though they’d narrow the gap in the fourth quarter — actually winning the frame 14-11 — they wouldn’t lead again.
One reason for this was the Spartans’ fierce presence on the boards. They attacked the glass with verve and made a beeline for every loose ball. They didn’t generate a ton of points off of these boards, as their collective shot largely abandoned them, but the rebounds allowed them to maintain possession and bleed out the clock, securing the win.
Speaking after the game, Spartan coach Jason McClain praised his team’s effort saying that though “it took a little while to get going” they had showed good spirit, and he felt the game was full of teachable moments that could help the team grow into itself over the course of the year.
“We’re trying to develop certain habits,” he said. “It’s early in the season, it’ll take time.
“[The game] wasn’t pretty but it was a positive … something to learn from throughout the season. They showed passion and heart today; that feels good, knowing they want to win.”
Their next chance for a W will come on Friday, when they hit the road to face the Shadow Ridge Stallions in Surprise, Ariz.
Statistical leaders:
• Points — Jocelyn Valdez and Kenya Gutierrez (10)
• Rebounds — Laila McClain (10)
• Assists — Dalhia Ruiz (5)
• Steals — Jocelyn Valdez (5)
• Blocks — Laila McClain (2)