Boomerangs knock off Chase girls, 75-31
Matthew Clark/The Daily Courier
Chase High School's Jamie Phillips (34) drives the ball down the court as Ashleigh Guy (2) of the Brisbane Boomerangs gives chase during a high school basketball game at Chase High School Wednesday night.
International basketball paid a visit to Henrietta Wednesday as the Chase Lady Trojans hosted Brisbane Boomerangs from Brisbane, Australia.
Bridgett O’Brian scored 25 points to lead the visitors to a 75-31 win. Along O’Brian’s points, she played a key part in the Boomerangs trapping defense that limited Chase to 12 second-half points.
“That’s been our problem all year,” said Chase coach Todd Davis. “We play well for a while and then we fall apart. We need to do something different and that starts with me.”
The game got off to a great start for the Trojans. Kaitlyn Smart hit a runner and Kendra Holcombe drilled a three as Chase broke out to a 5-0 lead.
Ashley Guy finally got the Lady Boomerangs on the board with a layup and when Carina Chandra converted a three point play, the game was tied at 8-8. Chandra hit another field goal as Brisbane led 10-9 lead after the opening quarter.
The visitors from Down Under went to a press to open the second quarter that forced Lady Trojan turnovers.
This sparked a 6-0 run that was snapped by a pair of Holcombe foul shots. Bridget O’Brian responded with a steal, layup, and turnaround jumper to give the Lady Boomerangs a 20-12 lead midway through the frame.
The Lady Trojans continued to have problems advancing the ball against the press, but did manage seven quick points before the half capped by a Holcombe three, but they could stop the Boomerang parade to the foul line. They knocked down six shots from the charity stripe in the final minute to take a 32-19 lead at the break.
Holcombe drilled a three to start the second half, but Chase had trouble stopping Brisbane in the paint. O’Brian converted a pair of layups.
Ainsley Walsh turned the same trick as Brisbane grabbed a 42-22 advantage. Smart broke the streak with a runner, but that was the last field goal Chase would hit in the quarter as they trailed 53-25.
The final frame was more competitive as Chase’s Takirah McKinney garnered a steal and a layup. Holcombe did knock in a field goal late in the game.
On Wednesday night, the Trojans fell to Patton, 92-44.
Holcombe led Chase with 19 points and Smart added 16 in the loss.