Sports
The quest begins: West starts hopeful run to state with dismantling of Sunset
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
A high school basketball may be 32 minutes long, but the Plano West girls needed only eight of those minutes Monday to assure the results of its playoff opener against Dallas Sunset.
The Lady Wolves (34-3) established a 25-5 lead in the first quarter of an eventual 81-34 victory.
"We jumped on them pretty good with our press," said Don Patterson, West head coach. "Then we hit a couple of threes, [senior Allison Staley] had a really good game again and I'm just not sure Sunset was ready for something like that."
Staley was hot from long-range early en route to a game-high 24 points while the tandem of seniors Devri Owens and Randi Reinhardt caused problems for Sunset as well. Both players scored nine points, but early it was Reinhardt dropping in the baskets off assists from Owens.
Junior Tyara Warren-Cox and freshman Natalie Chou proved formidable as well with the former scoring nine points and the latter eight. Sunset's only consistent response came from Shan Sellers, who put up a team-high 16.
The Lady Wolves increased their lead by at least eight in each subsequent quarter. With a 42-13 halftime advantage, West could rest several players down the stretch.
"That is good in some ways," Patterson said, "but sooner or later our starters are going to be playing a lot of minutes, so we want them to get their legs and stay in shape."
The Lady Wolves, who also got nine points from senior Mattie Swearingen, doubled up Sunset in the third quarter (20-10) to expand their lead to 62-23 and continued that trend in the fourth for an 81-34 victory.
"Like I told the girls, this is the fun part of the season," Patterson said. "We hadn't played in a week, so it was good to get back out there and have a good start."
Monday's win was predicated by several strong practices.
"The intensity level has picked up even more the last couple days," Patterson said. "The girls have been getting onto each other a little more in practice and pushing each other to go harder."
Expect more of the same this week leading into the area round. There, West will face Garland Naaman Forest.
"[Naaman] has several good athletes and they are a very quick team," Patterson said.
The Lady Rangers, who picked up a 63-60 win over Rockwall in the bi-district round, and Lady Wolves scrimmaged Nov. 3 but both teams have evolved since then. Naaman was still working in post Micayla Buckner at that time and guard Kaitlyn Holly has since upped her game as well.
"The girls still have the goal of making it to state," Patterson said. "But they know we have to stay in the mode of one game at a time because if you don't do that, you'll only have one more game."
The Lady Wolves (34-3) established a 25-5 lead in the first quarter of an eventual 81-34 victory.
"We jumped on them pretty good with our press," said Don Patterson, West head coach. "Then we hit a couple of threes, [senior Allison Staley] had a really good game again and I'm just not sure Sunset was ready for something like that."
Staley was hot from long-range early en route to a game-high 24 points while the tandem of seniors Devri Owens and Randi Reinhardt caused problems for Sunset as well. Both players scored nine points, but early it was Reinhardt dropping in the baskets off assists from Owens.
Junior Tyara Warren-Cox and freshman Natalie Chou proved formidable as well with the former scoring nine points and the latter eight. Sunset's only consistent response came from Shan Sellers, who put up a team-high 16.
The Lady Wolves increased their lead by at least eight in each subsequent quarter. With a 42-13 halftime advantage, West could rest several players down the stretch.
"That is good in some ways," Patterson said, "but sooner or later our starters are going to be playing a lot of minutes, so we want them to get their legs and stay in shape."
The Lady Wolves, who also got nine points from senior Mattie Swearingen, doubled up Sunset in the third quarter (20-10) to expand their lead to 62-23 and continued that trend in the fourth for an 81-34 victory.
"Like I told the girls, this is the fun part of the season," Patterson said. "We hadn't played in a week, so it was good to get back out there and have a good start."
Monday's win was predicated by several strong practices.
"The intensity level has picked up even more the last couple days," Patterson said. "The girls have been getting onto each other a little more in practice and pushing each other to go harder."
Expect more of the same this week leading into the area round. There, West will face Garland Naaman Forest.
"[Naaman] has several good athletes and they are a very quick team," Patterson said.
The Lady Rangers, who picked up a 63-60 win over Rockwall in the bi-district round, and Lady Wolves scrimmaged Nov. 3 but both teams have evolved since then. Naaman was still working in post Micayla Buckner at that time and guard Kaitlyn Holly has since upped her game as well.
"The girls still have the goal of making it to state," Patterson said. "But they know we have to stay in the mode of one game at a time because if you don't do that, you'll only have one more game."
Copyright © 2013 - Star Local News