Cougars build off blocks to batter Broncos
No. 1 team logs 12 rejections to stay unbeaten in 28-6A
Top-ranked Clark showed Tuesday night why it could be a tough out in the upcoming playoffs.
The Cougars recorded 12 blocks and held off a tough challenge from Brandeis for a 60-46 victory at Northside Sports Gym to stay undefeated in District 28-6A play with six games remaining.
The sister tandem of 6-foot-3 sophomore center Arianna Roberson (six blocks) and 6-2 senior power forward Aaliyah Roberson (four blocks) accounted for most of rejections. Senior 6-1 guard Hailey Adams had the other two.
That type of inside presence figures to force teams to try their luck from the outside although it didn’t deter the fifthranked Broncos from challenging the Cougars’ bigs.
“They like to give us a battle in the inside, roughing us up a little bit,” Aaliyah Roberson said.
Clark’s perimeter defense was good, too. The Broncos were forced to find other ways to score in the second half after Clark effectively shut down Brandeis — namely sophomore guard Rian Forestier. Forestier had 19 points, including four 3pointers, in the first half as Cougars clung to a 30-25 advantage heading to intermission.
“Like any team, we made our adjustments and we knew that Rian had come out really hot,” Adams said. “We knew that we had to put the pedal on trying to stop her . ... We had to make sure we were helping correctly and that we knew where she was at all times. It was about the team guarding her instead of isolating her with our (point) guard.”
Forestier, the Express-news Newcomer of the Year last season, finished with 24 points and didn’t score after draining a 3pointer with 6:25 remaining in the third quarter.
“Honestly, Rian was our main focus in the beginning,” Aaliyah Roberson said. “We didn’t stop her that well. We definitely had to turn it up and get our best defenders on her and try to stop her as best as possible. The second half came and, boom, we were on it.”
Aaliyah Roberson also had 16 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Arianna Roberson chipped in 14 points and seven rebounds.
Adams, Clark’s two-sport star, pulled double duty Tuesday.
After recording an assist for in the Cougars’ 6-1 soccer victory over Brandeis at Farris Stadium next door, Adams had 11 points and six assists in basketball. Adams didn’t have time to change as she put on her basketball uniform over her soccer jersey.
Forestier added four steals for Brandeis. Senior Broncos forward Bethany Carlin added 10 points.
Clark improved to 24-2 overall and 10-0 in 28-6A in winning its 11th in a row. That streak began after Clark lost to Duncanville 56-50 at the Allen tournament Nov. 20.
Clark’s other loss came against 28-6A foe Johnson — 5754 at the Austin Bowie tournament. The Cougars followed with a 68-33 win against Johnson in district play Dec. 18. They are set to square off again at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Littleton Gym.
Clark holds a one-game lead over Reagan (23-6, 9-1) and two games over Brandeis and Johnson.
“We’re focusing on every game,” Aaliyah Roberson said. “Like this one (Brandeis)? We’ve finished it. Next one is Johnson, so we definitely have to take it one game at a time. Brandeis is a very good team. They gave us a lot of competition and it’s going to help us and I think we’re helping them, too.”