By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
In the midst of a five-game losing streak, the only objective for Matt Tinsley's Seaman girls basketball team Friday night against Highland Park was to get back in the victory column.
The Vikings achieved that goal in impressive fashion, leading wire to wire in a 68-31 Centennial League road win over the Scots.
Seaman, which improved to 4-8 overall and 4-5 in the league, scored the first 8 points of the game and went in front 14-3 at the end of the first quarter and by a commanding 31-15 margin at the half.
The Vikings then hit the Scots with a 21-4 third quarter to take a 52-19 lead and force a running clock throughout the fourth quarter.
"It feels good to smile again,'' Tinsley said. "I realize I've got to be patient with them and and coach them through their struggles here, but we're getting better.
"Our record is not an indicator of who we are as a team. We've played some close games, we've learned from it, and it was good to see that tonight.''
Senior Raigan Kramer paced a balanced Seaman attack with 15 points while freshmen Taylin Stallbaumer and Brooklyn Gormley adding 12 apiece.
Senior JahnAsia Anderson grabbed 10 rebounds for the Vikings while senior Riley Cowan had 9 boards and Stallbaumer 8 as Seaman posted its second win of the season over the Scots. Seaman took a 54-44 win over Highland Park in the earlier game.
"Just like I told the girls, we're at the point in the season where we want to start playing our best basketball and we took that step forward tonight,'' Tinsley said.
Junior Aisya Taylor led Highland Park (0-10, 0-9) with a game-high 21 points, including 3 3-pointers, while senior Isabella Carter added 7.
SEAMAN GIRLS 68, SEAMAN 31
Seaman 14 17 21 16 -- 68
Highland Park 3 12 4 12 -- 31
Seaman (4-8, 4-5) -- Kramer 7-13 0-0 15, C. Anderson 4-6 0-0 9, Cowan 3-7 0-0 6, Stallbaumer 4-9 3-3 12, J. Anderson 2-6 0-2 4, Sweeney 1-4 0-0 2, Schumann 0-3 0-0 0, Gormley 4-8 4-6 12, Smith 4-7 0-0 8, Noble 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-63 7-11 68.
Highland Park (0-10, 0-9) -- Labroador 1-1 0-0 3, Austin 0-0 0-0 0, Carter 2-14 2-2 7, Taylor 4-14 10-17 21, Shutts 0-1 0-0 0, Johnson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 7-30 12-19 31.
3-point goals -- Seaman 3 (Kramer, C. Anderson, Stallbaumer), Highland Park 5 (Taylor 3, Labrador, Carter). Total fouls -- Seaman 14, Highland Park 8. Fouled out -- none.