Whirlwind Weekend Wrap-up

(posted 01-17-10)

by Jim Charles

Glasgow 67, A.I. DuPont 56

The Glasgow Lady Dragons started off this season by reeling off 4 straight losses.  Since then, however, the team is 5 – 3 and working their way up to respectability.  All-everything point guard, Telisha TT Turner is a big reason for that.  But she alone cannot produce wins over the better schools.  Providing the help she needs are players like 5’ 11” forward, Samantha Gross, who had 17 against A.I., Daizy Fuentes who had 9, and new guard sensation, Alexus Gillins, who contributed 13.  Although a junior, Gillins is a new-to-the-area transplant from South Carolina.  She has averaged double-digit scoring this season, and is developing consistency while learning her new teammates and coaches.  She will likely take over the leadership role next year as a senior.

For their part, A.I. was hampered going into the game by not having the services of Aimée Bouie, who is out with a knee sprain.  Nevertheless, they put up a great fight, outscoring Glasgow 22 – 13 in the third quarter to keep the score competitive.  Marjani Saunders was the game’s top scorer with a very impressive 29-point performance.  Nyaire Jeffers threw in another 13 points in the losing effort.

Alexus Gillins

Daizy Fuentes.  I saw Daizy hit a near half court shot during halftime of the JV game.  I think it was her only attempt at it, too.

Coach Kulesza calls this the "Michael Jordan Hook."  But hey!?!  The A.I. girl was the one causing the contact.  TT's just trying to get some separation.  Neither player was whistled.

A.I.'s Natalie Stanek guards Gillins.

Thursday, January 14, 2010 5:30PM
 

Game Summary

GLASGOW-Gillins 4 5-9 13, Turner 8 4-7 23, Foster 0 0-0 0, Fuentes 4 0-2 9, Gross 7 3-6 17, Moore 2 0-0 5, Richards 0 0-0 0, Achoja 0 0-0 0. Totals 25 12-24 67.

A.I. DU PONT-Jeffers 6 1-2 13, Figliola 1 1-2 3, Hyatt 1 0-0 3, Saunders 13 2-4 29, McCoy 2 0-0 4, Stanek 1 0-0 2, Jones 1 0-0 2. Totals 25 4-8 56.

3-point goals-G 5 (Turner 3, Fuentes, Moore), AI 2 (Hyatt, Saunders).

Sanford 56, Dover 46

THE feature game of the week had to be the contest between Sanford and Dover on Friday night.  It was DGB.com’s first chance to catch up with Dover in 2 years.  This game did not disappoint.

Right at the top, it needs to said that the night was a special one for Sanford as it marked the return to the hardwoods of star guard, Amber Genwright after a long layoff due to an ACL tear.  Perhaps one out of every four fans seemed to be there specifically for Amber!  Though she did not start, when she came in, the cheers that greeted her could not be missed.

The game itself was very up-tempo and competitive.  The score was knotted up at 9 – 9 after the first quarter.  After the second frame, Sanford was only on top by two points.  They managed to stretch this to 4 points going into the fourth quarter.  Coming up big for Sanford was the electrifying Andrea Hines with19 points, to lead all scorers.  Providing that sweet balance in the low post was Anjaleace White who chipped in 13.  Naiesha Brown had 11.  As for the just returned Genwright?  She was aces from the free-throw line nailing 6 of 7.  Yet, it was clear that her shot from the floor was off, even during warm-ups.  Perhaps it’s the leg brace.  Perhaps it’s the “rust.”  At any rate, she’s back, and we’re glad.

These Dover girls…  They gave Sanford a scare.  They showed that they deserve a place at the table in any talk of who the best teams in the state are.  And they may have provided a blueprint for other teams on how to play Sanford close.  From where I was sitting, the Dover strategy seemed to be to fight speed with speed.  Fight good guard play with good guard play.  Basically, they tried to out-Sanford Sanford!  And they fell just 5 baskets short. 

Like Sanford, the Dover attack featured three main contributors:  Nichelle Potter had 14 points and is a very talented sophomore forward.  Jasmine Legree brought home 13 points, also from the frontcourt.  And senior guard, Antoinette Robertson kicked in an even dozen.

Sanford remains undefeated against Delaware opponents and is the first team in the state to get to 9 wins.

The game marked the return of Amber Genwright.

With Genwright back in the lineup, the Sanford backcourt couldn't be in better shape.

Andrea Hines puts in her first bucket of the night on this right side drive.

Naiesha Brown taking it to the hoop.

Anjaleace White fits this team like a glove!

Coach Thompson informs the official of his different viewpoint with regard to the call.

Dover's Antoinette Robertson takes on nearly the entire Sanford lineup!

It was clear who the crowd favorite was.

I don't know what's going on.  In past years, Olivia Peeke (left) sported Courtney Kendall's old number, 21.

Well, she switched to 33, for some reason.  But now, Mélanie Terrasse is wearing it!

Courtney, who is an assistant coach for Sanford, needs to get to the uniform pile before the players and keep that thing out of circulation!

Friday, January 15, 2010 7:30PM
 

Game Summary

DOVER-Legree 5 1-2 13, Potter 5 2-2 14, Robertson 4 3-4 12, Sturgis 2 0-0 5, White 0 0-2 0, Collins 1 0-0 2, Brewer 0 0-0 0, Brown 0 0-0 0, May 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 6-10 46.

SANFORD-Brown 5 0-3 11, Hines 7 3-4 19, Peeke 1 0-2 3, Webb 2 0-2 4, White 5 3-9 13, Genwright 0 6-7 6, Fleming 0 0-2 0, McMillan 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 12-29 56.

3-point goals-D 6 (Legree 2, Potter 2, Robertson, Sturgis), S 4 (Hines 2, Brown, Peeke).

St. Elizabeth 58, Indian River 39

If basketball were tennis, we’d have to take this game to a tie-breaker.  The Indians won two quarters as did the Vikings.  But, thankfully, basketball is not played like that.  And, due to the 24 – 8 pounding the Elizabethans meted out in the second quarter, and the 16 – 9 dominance they displayed in the third, this game was pretty much a done deal at the start of the fourth.

It never ceases to amaze me to see these downstate teams bring their nice, shiny records up to New Castle County and have to face the buzzsaw of competition that is a way of life upstate.  Consider that in Indian River’s 9 previous games, their lowest offensive output was 41 points in an early season loss to Lake Forest.  For the season, they averaged 55.7 points per game.  They average giving up 41.4.  The match-up with St. E’s gave Indian River their worst offensive game of the year and their second worst defensive game of the year. 

Be that as it may, Tom and I really liked the play and leadership of senior, Brandi Buchanan.  She had 16 points and was an additional coach on the floor.  Sophomore Destiny Blake put in 13 from the 1-guard slot.  Both girls demonstrated that they could hang with upstate teams. 

St. E’s worries me.  I think they are going to be a bee in some team’s bonnets before the state declares a champion.  True, they’ve lost games to UA and Sanford, which really wasn’t surprising.  But, they have scored over 60 points three times, including a 75 – 54 showing against Glasgow.  They score points wholesale.  And their defense has been stellar since New Year’s Day.  In their five 2010 games, they have kept opponents under 40 three times.  And their worst game was in allowing a respectable 48 to Ursuline.  St. E’s is going to be around.

Due to a serious heart condition, Kelly Williams is done with basketball.  Still, it was great seeing her on the bench with her team.

Tom and I hope that if she can no longer play, she might consider staying close to the sport by becoming a manager (while still a student), or later, by becoming a coach.  Whatever happens, we wish Kelly the best.

The coolest pic I think I ever took of point guard, Anna Tiberi.

...And here's a pretty good one, too.  Anna fights her way through a pick to stay with Destiny Blake.

Paige Davis is guarded by Shanekqua Holden.

On this day, the Indians' best player was senior Brandi Buchanan.

Eighth grader, Macy Robinson, passes to Brianna Norvell.

I.R.'s point guard, Destiny Blake.

The cool thing about a game like this is when the coaches put in players that you don't see very often.  In this case, we caught a glimpse of the future when Coach Ferrier put in freshman, Jocelyn Rodriguez.

Vakeisha Puckham takes a long jumper.  Buchanan valiantly defends.

Saturday, January 16, 2010 2:30PM
 

Game Summary

INDIAN RIVER - Miller 0 2-2 2, Cole 2 0-0 4, Buchanan 8 0-0 16, Keyosha Shelton 0 0-0 0, Keyona Shelton 1 0-0 2, Blake 6 1-2 13, Holden 0 0-0 0, Handy 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 3-4 39.

ST. ELIZABETH - Rodriguez 0 0-0 0, Davis 1 0-2 2, Casper 4 0-0 9, Woodard 0 1-2 1, Puckham 0 1-3 1, Robinson 4 2-2 10, Immediato 0 0-0 0, Tiberi 4 0-0 9, Swarter 4 1-2 10, Norvell 5 3-4 14, Cornelius 1 0-0 2. Totals 23 8-15 58.
3-point goals-SE 4 (Casper, Tiberri, Swarter, Norvell).

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