GUTHRIE CENTER — The Woodward-Granger girls basketball team had managed just one win among their first 15 games this season, but thanks to victories at home Friday and on the road Tuesday the total of triumphs now stands at three.
W-G topped Earlham Friday, then used a hot start and solid defense throughout to defeat Guthrie Center, 50-36, Tuesday. The win avenged a 39-35 loss to the Tigers Jan. 8, a game the Hawks felt they would have won if they had given a better effort.
Guthrie Center (4-16 overall, 3-13 in WCC play) tried a pressing defense against W-G (3-14, 3-12) in the first half, but the Hawks were up to the challenge, attacking down the floor with layups and short jumpers while two 3-pointers from Mary Hansen and one from Riley Jamison helped the guest spurt to a 19-10 lead.
A 16-8 run through the second period put W-G into a 35-18 lead before both teams went into the freezer offensively in the third quarter by scoring only two points apiece.
“We gave them an opportunity to get back in the game in the third quarter by fumbling the ball a number of times,” W-G head coach Gary Dresback said. “We were just not catching passes or handling it strong. Fortunately we still played defense well and got away with a two-point quarter.”
Hansen went off for 22 points and the team hit 9-of-12 free throws to help fuel the victory.
“Mary shot the ball really well and she, Maggi (Mallon) and Kaitlyn (Peters) controlled the boards against a team with some pretty good size,” Dresback said. “That went a long way toward controlling the defensive end of the floor.”
Hansen and Mallon had eight rebounds apiece and Peters five, with Jamison and Kendra Husmann each pulling in three caroms and Kayley Dresback two. Jamison had five steals and Hansen three, with Dresback distributing eight assists and Jamison three.
Mallon added the attack with eight points and Alyssa Bice with six, with Jamison contributing five points, Miranda Aunspach four, Dresback three and Husmann two.
W-G will conclude their regular season Friday when they host Panorama in a WCC contest rescheduled from Feb. 2.
