“Panthers leave no doubt”

Before the “Class C” tourney started- everyone in the state circled the region #20 championship for two reasons:

1. it would be a rematch of last year’s State Championship game
2. both teams enter the season as the favorites to win this year’s State Title. 

But nobody expected to see what took place at Reese High School last night.  Nouvel completely dominated Flint Hamady from the opening tip to the final buzzer as the Lady Panthers used a 79-45 blow out win to advance to the “Class C” quarterfinal at Mt. Pleasant.

Nouvel came out and put the pressure on the much bigger and quicker Hawk team.  Jenny Ryan found a wide open Kaitlyn McDonald for the game’s first basket.  McDonald was just getting her night started as she had her best scoring performance of the season.  Consecutive steals and baskets by Kelly Kretz and Ryan gave Nouvel a 9-0 lead.  Nouvel got up 17-2 before Constance McKenney and Brandie Baker sunk 3-pointers to give the Hamady faithful something to cheer about.

The key for the night was Nouvel’s ability to force turnovers with their full court press.  Hamady constantly tried to just dribble through the press and they constantly got trapped and turned the ball over.  When Hamady broke the press they impatiently fired up a bad shot.  Nouvel led 21-10 after one and the Panthers built a 20 point lead, 43-23, by time the teams went into the half.

Neither teams switched anything up in the second half and the Hawks didn’t fair any better as Nouvel’s lead got to as many as 37 points.       

 

BREAKDOWN

Game Ball- Kaitlyn McDonald #42 the senior forward completely shut down, Syracuse commit, Troya Berry and on offense she poured in a game high 22 points.

Jenny Ryan, #24 Nouvel- Ryan only scored 10 points but she had to have had close to a triple-double with steals and assist.  Hamady tried to double team and trap her but Ryan just broke things down and found open teammates for easy buckets.  Ryan was a big reason why McDonald ended up with 22 points.    

Brandie Baker, #33 Hawks- the Miss Basketball finalist disappeared in this game, she needed to get aggressive and demand the ball.  She rarely shot the ball but still made almost everything she threw up.  She finished with 14 points.