Huntsville uses size to pound Greenland in hoops sweep
Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2008
HUNTSVILLE — The Huntsville Lady Eagles effectively utilized a decisive height advantage on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court to come away with a 54-30 win on Tuesday against Greenland at Charles E. Berry Gym.
“I thought our defense was the difference in the game,” Huntsville coach Charlie Berry said of his team’s smothering presence in the paint. “They just couldn’t score off of our defense, they scored a bit in the fourth quarter but by then the game was over.”
Offensively the Lady Eagles also controlled things inside as the 6-foot-2 Martha Robinson hit for a gamehigh 20 points.
“We knew going in that they were taller than us,” Greenland coach Alan Barton said. “We had to do everything that we could to scrap with them.”
Also instrumental for the Lady Eagles was a 17-of-19 performance from the charity stripe for the game.
Huntsville (1-0) put together a combined 18-2 run to end the second quarter and through most of the third.
“We were bothered a little bit by their pressure in the first half,” Berry said. “We got in foul trouble a little bit early but played better in the second half.”
With an 8-0 run early in the fourth quarter, Greenland cut the margin 40-23 with 4:19 left in regulation on back to back Ashley Keeney 10-foot jumpers.
“We played hard and our effort was superb,” Barton said. “We’re not going to give up against anybody. We’re getting better and things don’t have to be totally fixed until January.”
“We missed some chip shots tonight but it’s early in the season,” he continued. “We are playing 4A and 5A schools for a reason.” Barton and the Pirates will look to continue progress against larger opponents as they again delve into the 4A talent pool to host Berryville on Friday. Huntsville looks to stay perfect as it takes on Ozark at home.
In addition to Robinson’s 20, Huntsville saw Nicole Gurley score 13. Greenland (1-1 ) was paced by Shelby Alaniz with 8 and Amber Snider added 7.
Huntsville 45
Greenland 40 (sr. boys)
The Pirates trailed by as few as five on five separate second half occasions, including the final margin, before bowing out, 45-40 to Huntsville.
“We had one good practice yesterday and that’s all we’ve had,” Greenland coach Jared Gobel said of the young season. “I’m proud of the way that they played.”
Behind three 3-pointers in the second quarter from Kaleb Houston, Huntsville (1-0 ) ended the first half with a 10-2 run to go to intermission with a 27-16 lead.
“We got behind and battled,” Gobel said. “We were just kind of using this game as basically a glorified practice. We wanted to go out, play hard and see what we needed to work on.”
Elijah Wolfe hit a short jumper with 1:26 left in regulation to pull the Pirates to within 41-36 but they would get no closer.
Houston from Huntsville led all scorers with 25. For Greenland (1-1), Tyler Simpson hit for 14 with Luke McClure adding 10.
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