vs. Cy Creek

The Stratford Girls Varsity Basketball Team traveled to Cy Creek Friday night to face a team they beat by six points earlier in the season. This time the Cougars came in with an amped level of intensity. They also have a 6-foot-4 sophomore who is improving rapidly. She has the size of a lithe tight end and may have a future in both the WNBA and the NFL. The Spartans' best interior defender, Junior forward Kendall Davis, is taking Pre-Cal and AP Physics, so she certainly knows basic math and science. She gave up considerable inches and pounds to her opponent. Newton's Third Law of Motion would not work in Davis's or her teammates' favor under the basket.

The Spartans' first score came off the best play in basketball: the pick and roll. Davis laid in the bucket off the assist from Junior point guard Rachel Ashby. The worst play in basketball is the turnover,  and those were abundant amongst the Spartans from the onset. Davis scored on a soft jumper from the right baseline with the assist from Ashby. Ashby launched a laser to Freshman guard Tess Stephenson on the left block, and the Spartans were down by six. There were a lot of missed free throws that would have kept the game closer than the 17-6 score at the end of the first quarter.

Junior guard Aria Taylor passed to Stephenson, who drove left and laid in a left-handed (she's right-handed) floater off the glass. Stephenson found Taylor off the out-of-bounds play for a layup. Taylor scored again after getting the ball on the elbow, driving down the lane, and laying the ball up and over a taller defender. The Spartans pulled within six, 19-13. Then the Cougars starting dropping in threes and the Spartans kept missing from the charity stripe. Stephenson laid in another lefty, but the half ended at 31-15.

Senior forward Kendall Zoboroski drained a deuce from inside the arc off the assist from Ashby. Zoboroski scored again after splitting two defenders in the paint. The pace and tenor of the game resulted in some creative shot selection by the Spartans, which allowed Cy Creek to extend its lead. When Stephenson drove inside and met a mountain, she bounce-passed to Zoboroski for a layup, but it was 44-22. Stephenson scored again on a drive to the left. Stephenson drives on the left side so often that she may be a road hazard when eligible for a driver's license. Ashby knocked in a 15-foot, Scottie Pippenesque bank shot, and the quarter ended 48-29.

Stephenson swished a three-pointer. Ashby launched a three and raced to secure her own rebound, scoring on a layup. Stephenson went left again for a score, and the final was 56-37.

Stephenson scored 13 points and had seven rebounds and three steals. Zoboroski had eight points and six rebounds. Davis scored six points. Ashby had four points, five rebounds, and five assists. The Spartans are 5-4 in District play and tied for fourth place with Cy Fair. The top four teams go to the playoffs.

vs. Cy Fair

Last Wednesday, the Spartans defeated Cy Fair 60-34. Stephenson scored 20 points and had five rebounds and three steals. Senior guard Emma Adisa had 12 points. Taylor had seven points and five rebounds. Ashby had five points, five steals, and six assists.