WOODWARD — It is only two games into the season and Woodward-Granger girls basketball head coach Gary Dresback has already detected a trend he hopes can be quickly reversed.
“We’ve got to be more ready to play in the first half and find a way to finish the good shots we get,” he said, after the Hawks came out on the short end of a 52-43 tilt with WCV Tuesday. “Each of our first two games (the season began with a 41-36 loss to CMB Nov. 21) could have finished much differently had we been able to make a few shots and free throws.”
Tuesday’s contest saw the visiting Wildcats grab an 11-4 lead after one quarter of play and hold a 23-14 edge at the half. The teams played even after the break, but the opening surge created the nine-point WCC win for WCV.
“We missed four or five layups in the first half and five free throws, so we had the opportunity to score and just couldn’t finish,” Dresback said. “We played much better in the second half, especially considering the foul trouble we had to manage.”
Riley Jamison finished with 10 points to lead W-G, with Mary Hansen adding nine points and Alyssa Bice and Riley Kirton six points apiece. Kaitlyn Peters tallied five points, Maggi Mallon four, Kayley Dresback two and Kendra Husmann one.
Kirton, Peters and Mallon had four rebounds apiece, with Hansen making six steals while Bice added two assists to two steals. All W-G non-scoring stats are unofficial.
Jennifer Dudley led the Wildcats with 21 points, with Grace Dupuy adding 14 points and Kristin Culp nine. Culp had 11 rebounds and three assists, with Dupuy providing 10 rebounds and Dudley eight.
W-G hosts Martensdale-St. Marys Thursday and visits Des Moines Christian Friday. Both girls/boys twin bills will begin with the girls game at 6 p.m.