A young Greenwood girls basketball team is still finding its way during the early portion of a rebuilding season.
Taking a trip to face state powerhouse Columbus North did little to help the Woodmen gain momentum or confidence.
The host Bull Dogs, ranked 10th in Class 4A, forced 21 steals and allowed only four second-quarter points, and the result was an easy 72-35 victory.
“I don’t think we competed very intelligently,” Greenwood coach Lee Taft said. “Running up and down doesn’t mean you compete. Understanding what we’re trying to do is competing. That’s the problem with a young team.”
Imani Guy was a defensive force for Columbus North, with four steals and three blocks to go with her 10 points and five rebounds. Maliah Howard-Bass lead the team in scoring with 18 points and ended the game with seven steals.
North opened the game with a full-court press, which forced 10 steals in the first quarter. North coach Pat Mckee said Guy is usually always active on the defensive side of the ball.
“She has to be smart active, and tonight she was,” McKee said. “She avoided foul trouble. Sometimes, she is active but picks up fouls and we have to take her out. Tonight, I thought she was much more poised in making the decisions she needed to make.”
The Bull Dogs (5-2) got out to an early lead and were up by 24 points by halftime. That allowed McKee to empty his bench and let some of the younger junior varsity players get on the court.
Junior varsity player Chelsi Giesige got some quality playing time and ended the game with seven points, one steal and a block. Giesige said she was excited to get on the court and play.
“I haven’t gotten to play a lot this year, so I was really happy,” Giesige said. “I thought I brought a lot of energy off the bench.”
Last year, North had some big injuries and had to play some younger players who did not see much varsity time. McKee said it is critically important for the younger players to see the court in case the team finds itself in a situation like last year. He said any minutes they can get now will be helpful for the team in the future.
Greenwood (3-9) struggled to score points, but Ryan Bauer hit two 3-pointers and led the Woodmen with 12 points. Alex Kincaid added nine points.
