vs. Cy Creek

The Stratford Varsity Girls Basketball Team hosted Cy Creek on Tuesday, December 12th. Senior guard Emma Adisa got the action rolling with a fast-break assist to Junior point guard Rachel Ashby. An ensuing fast-break saw Junior forward Kendall Davis pass to Junior guard Aria Taylor for a bucket, and the Spartans were up 4-0. The Cougars made a run before Freshman guard Tess Stephenson, off an out-of-bounds play, hit Adisa for a three-pointer from the top of the key to make it 7-6. Ashby forced a turnover that led to Senior forward Kendall Zoboroski dropping a 10-footer from the left wing. Ashby followed with a drive-and-pass to Stephenson for a trey and it was 12-9. A few series followed that resulted in turnovers and rebounding miscues. The quarter ended on a good note when Zoboroski nailed a pull-up jumper on the baseline with the assist from Ashby to make it 14-11.

The Cougars' defense was a half-step too slow to be able to consistently stop Ashby from penetrating or finding open looks to fire away. An out-of-bounds Taylor pass to Ashby on the right wing resulted in a three-pointer to make it 17-13. The clock ticked to 3:30 before another point was scored. That's when Ashby, directing the offense, stepped back and drained another three. The Spartans looked the better team and yet they were unable to translate that into points until Junior forward Gretchen Lovelace scored inside off the assist from Adisa. It was a closer-than-it-should-have-been 22-21 at the half.

Stephenson attacked a sagging defense and nailed a jumper to start the second half. The Spartans' offense had trouble finding its rhythm for a stretch. Then Stephenson drove from the right wing for a layup and, when challenged near the basket, made a sweet switch to her left hand for a basket to make it 26-23. The Cougars' center, #32, had a significant height advantage and began establishing herself on both ends, blocking shots, rebounding and scoring. She was a big factor in the third quarter ending at 30-30.

Ashby rocked a trey with the assist to Adisa as a tense final quarter began. The Spartans made an adjustment to put an extra defender near #32. The hard-working, lunch-pail-toting Davis then went to work on #32. Davis lofted a shot over her opponent's outstretched arms and it was 38-35. Davis followed with a drive and dish to Stephenson on the left wing for a three to make it 41-37! Davis shortly was sent to the foul line and drained both, and it was 43-39. With two minutes remaining, Davis intercepted a pass by #32. On offense Stephenson attacked the basket and hit Junior guard Meghan Hallmark on the left wing for a bucket. Ashby and the other guards smartly protected the ball with the clock winding down, which forced Cy Creek to foul and send the Spartans to the line repeatedly, resulting in a 48-42, rougher-than-it-should-have been victory.

Ashby led in points and rebounds with 16 and seven, respectively. Stephenson dropped in 10 points.

vs. Northbrook

Friday night the team traveled to Northbrook and delivered a beatdown, 61-20. Adisa scored 14 points. Ashby had 10 points, eight steals, and five rebounds. Zoboroski tallied eight. Davis had seven points, six rebounds, and four steals. Junior forward Bella Perroni had six points. The Spartans are 10-8 overall, 2-1 in District. Spring Woods comes calling on Tuesday.