After a long pre-season, finding their game in pressure tournament play, all teams, including new head coach Kara Miller and the Bruin girls varsity basketball team, started the new 2023 season tied for first place with records of 0-0.
For the Bruin girls, the season opener was at home Wednesday evening, hosting the North Valley Lady Knights who made the trip from Medford.
The game started off sluggishly as both teams looked to find the others weakness resulting in more fouls than points early in the first period, and even though the Bruin girls defense played well and held the Lady Knights to just 2 points mid way through the first period, shots from the Bruin girls just weren’t falling. Senior Rockette Marrington, #12, scored all 3 of the Bruin girls points after getting to the line early in quarter, and hitting an inside shot.
Defense continued to be stubborn for the Bruin girls who started the second quarter trailing 3-9, and tough defense inspired the offensive game, getting four Bruin girls in the scoring column led by #44, senior forward, Ashlyn Schofield, who rang up 8 points, including a 3 pointer. But it was the second quarter defense, pressuring the ball handler that held North Valley to just 6 points in the quarter, building a 20-15 lead going into the half time break.
The second half picked up where the 1st left off, stifling Bruin girls defense allowing only two scorers for the Lady Knights in the quarter for 5 points as Brookings-Harbor ran on turn overs, extending their lead to 28-17 half way through the third quarter before blowing the game open with 17 third quarter points.
Now sitting on a comfortable 37-20 lead going into the final period of play, senior center Marissa Scott, #15, took control of the key, scoring 5 points including going 3 for 4 from the line. The Lady Knights put together 11 points late in the period, but could not close the gap as the Bruin girls would go on to win their season opener, 49-31.
The Bruin girls will be on the road for their second match-up of the season, traveling to Medford this Friday evening to take on the Cascade Christian Lady Crusaders, coming off their own season opening 58-16 road win over Rogue River.