Sterling girls add a couple of wins
Throughout the early weeks of a new season, identities form as teams work out the kinks in their game play. A couple of early wins certainly help accelerate that process.
Four games into the new season, Sterling girls basketball seems to have figured it out, notching two wins early while also dropping three tough contests. The Tigers began their year with a 64-13 loss to a solid Strasburg team, then rebounded quickly to take down Eagle Ridge Academy 50-31.
They supplemented that success three days later, when they made the trip to Wellington and left with a 54-32 parting gift, only to see Limon take them down on Dec. 15 with a 47-29 beating at the Yuma Holiday Classic tournament. On Saturday, Rangely defeated them 50-32.
Against Wellington, however, the Tigers controlled the pace of play from start to finish, even as the Eagles put up a strong effort in the first quarter. Sterling outpaced them, just barely, netting 15 points to the Eagles’ 12 through the first eight minutes, then began to surge ahead in the second quarter.
They built up a 27-20 lead by the end of the first half, then continued to add to that momentum heading into the second. The Sterling offense trudged ahead while keeping Wellington in check, scoring 12 points while keeping the Eagles to six, then added to the defense bleeding for the Eagles by putting together a 15-6 run to close out the game.
Tatym Dempcy flattened the Wellington defense all night long, netting 31 points while shooting 67% from the field and draining seven free throws. She supplemented her game with 16 rebounds and four steals. Sophomore Taylor Tonche padded her own stat sheet as well as she scored nine points, stole seven balls, dished out three assists and took down four rebounds.
Sterling, now 2-3, will head to Brush on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. tip.