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Big Rapids' Kelsie Gorczewicz goes to the basket against Reed City's Kyleigh Weck (25) and Paityn Enos (10) during Tuesday's girls basketball game.
Pioneer photo/John Raffel
BIG RAPIDS – Big Rapids’ defense has been tough to score on all season and such was the case on Tuesday.
The Cardinal girls basketball team frustrated Reed City throughout the Central State Activities Association battle and came up with a 51-25 victory.
Big Rapids is still unbeaten in the CSAA at 8-0.
“Anytime we can get this game, it feels good,” Big Rapids coach Jessica Haist said. “You never know how it’s going to go, just the emotions of the night and the rivalry. I thought we came out to a pretty good start. We were pretty hot shooting. Hanna (Smith) shot the ball well early. Our defense really locked in early and set the tone for the rest of the game.”
Marissa Warren had two free throws to spark her team to a 14-4 lead after the first quarter.
Leila Valentine’s steal and layup gave her team a 16-4 lead to open the second quarter. The Coyotes continued to struggle offensively and Rylie Haist drove for a basket as the quarter ended;
It was 28-11 at halftime.
“I don’t know what our turnover totals were, but that first half, give all the credit to Big Rapids,” Reed City coach Tim Beilfuss said. “We turned the ball over way too much. Give them credit. They took it to us in that first half. We can practice against the press but you have to go out on the court and execute. We did not execute in the first half.”
“We had a couple of moments there in the middle where we were (struggling) and maybe we could chalk if off to a snow day,” Haist said. “It was kind of a sluggish feel.”
Big Rapids scored the first eight points of the third with Hayden Cutler breaking the ice at 2:09 for the Coyotes, making it 36-13. Hadley Fox hit a three for Big Rapids and Molly Bowman a triple for Reed City.
It was 40-17 going into the fourth. Hanna Smith’s triple for Big Rapids made it 44-20 early in the fourth. Julie Waltz scored off a long pass and it was 49-22 midway in the quarter.
“We have to work on our free throws,” Haist said. “Defensively we were pretty solid. Rylie rebounded very well. Those were the keys. The rest speaks for itself.”
Smith had 11 points for BR while Kelsie Gorczewicz had nine, Marissa Warren seven and Leila Valentine and Rylie Haist six apiece.
“We did great,” Valentine said. “We played well as a team tonight. We wanted to play our game and play good defense.”
Morgan Hammond and Molly Bowman had five apiece for Reed City.
“In the second half, I was happier,” Beilfuss said. “As a team, we have to take care of the basketball, We have to box out on the defensive end. At this time of the season, you have to eliminate turnovers and box out.”
“I think we could have played with a little more effort,” Reed City’s Kyleigh Weck said. “There’s not much you can do.”
To open the game, teams allowed one player from each squad who has been injured this season to score a basket. It was Jenna Williams for Big Rapids who has been out with an ACL injury.
Big Rapids (8-0, 16-1) will host Pewamo-Westphalia in nonleague action on Thursday.
“That will be a good test for us,” Haist said. “Rhey’re a Division 3 school but they win a lot of ballgames. It will be a good challenge for us.”
Reed City (4-5, 7-11) is home next Tuesday against Cadillac. Christina Malackanich, who has battle injury all season, was cleared to play on Tuesday.
“We have to ease her back in,” Beilfuss said. “We have to get her back into game condition.”
