By KYLE MANTHE
The Washburn Review
After opening the season with a commanding 54-14 win over Topeka West on the road, the No. 2-ranked Washburn Rural girls basketball team played its first game in front of home fans on Tuesday against Emporia.
After a slow start, the team kept its energy high and undefeated season intact, pulling away in the second half with a 52-41 victory.
“I thought our effort was really good. Even our first game our effort was really solid by every single person, even the people who didn’t play they had a lot of energy and helped us on the bench,” said Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick.
Neither team could buy a basket early on until the Spartans capitalized on a turnover, taking a 2-0 lead with 4:24 in the first. The Junior Blues only managed six points in the opening quarter, through Emporia did not fare much better, scoring only seven.
“Our offense is just too stagnant right now,'' Bordewick said. "I think we are still trying to figure some things out. Emporia’s defense had a lot to do with that too.''
The Spartans countered the size of Washburn Rural with outside shooting, knocking down four 3-pointers in the second quarter and growing the lead to 19-12 with 3:32 left after the second straight by senior Gracie Gilpin.
The deficit was erased in a minute's time as senior Emma Krueger scored five in a row for the Junior Blues and sophomore Zoe Canfield capped off the run with a transition 3-pointer to take a 20-19 lead with a minute before half which is how the score would stay.
“We were getting back into it at the start and then we just started clicking,'' Washburn Rural junior Brooklyn DeLeye said. "We had everyone back this game and we just kind of had that team chemistry that we had last year as well.''.
In the third quarter Washburn Rural limited Emporia to three field goals, although all three were triples off the hands of Gilpin. DeLeye scored six in the quarter in her season debut, part of her team-high 18 points.
“It felt great, I mean just playing with those girls is amazing. But, at the start I was kind of slow, just trying to get back into things and then once I kind of figured out what was going on I did alright,” DeLeye said.
Turnovers from the Junior Blues held the offense down, with 15 in the game, as the Spartans were able to tie the game at 32 after three quarters.
“We just have to be more efficient and smarter with our possessions. But there’s some good ideas with what they are doing,” Bordewick said.
In the fourth quarter Washburn Rural’s offense started off with a corner 3-pointer by DeLeye off a pass from Canfield. Two straight and-one baskets, first by Krueger and then by sophomore Jada Ingram broke the game open and grew the lead to double-digits.
Washburn Rural senior Emma Krueger goes up for a shot in Tuesday's 52-41 Centennial League win over Emporia. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Emporia was unable to connect from deep down the stretch.
“I thought we played to win rather than playing not to lose, which is an improvement over last year in a lot of areas,” Bordewick said.
Krueger joined her DeLeye in double figures with 12 and Canfield added nine points.
For the Spartans Gilpin had a game-high 21 points including five 3-pointers, while sophomore Addie Kirmer added 10 points.
The win moved Washburn Rural to 2-0 on the year as well as 2-0 in Centennial league play.
Washburn Rural will be back at home Friday Dec. 10 against Highland Park.
WASHBURN RURAL GIRLS 52, EMPORIA 41
Emporia 7 12 13 9 -- 41
Washburn Rural 6 14 12 20 -- 52
Washburn Rural (2-0, 2-0) -- Bagshaw 0 0-0 0, Lutz 2 0-0 4, Krueger 4 4-5 12, Carlgren 2 0-0 4, Canfield 2 4-4 9, Brogan 0 0-0 0, Ingram 2 0-2 4, DeLeye 8 1-3 18. Totals 20-43 10-16 52.
Emporia (1-1, 1-1) -- Gilpin 5 6-8 21, Kirmer 3 2-2 10, Peak 0 0-0 0, Stewart 1 0-0 3, Baker 1 2-2 5, Herfkens 0 0-1 0, Gutierrez 0 0-0 0, T. Baker 0 0-0 0, Garcia 0 0-0 0, Snyder 1 0-2 2. Totals 11-40 10-15 41.
3-point goals – Washburn Rural 2 (Canfield, DeLeye), Emporia 9 (Gilpin 5, Kirmer 2, Stewart, Baker). Turnovers – Washburn Rural 15, Emporia 14. Total fouls – Washburn Rural 13, Emporia 20. Fouled out – None.
