(GIRLS) Walnut Grove Gators Prove to be Too Much for Heritage Woods Kodiaks in Sem-Final

Heritage Woods Kodiaks vs. Walnut Grove Gators

December 10, Round 2, Girls Semi-Final Game

Written by Jamie Keast

In our other semi-final matchup at Argyle Secondary, the Walnut Grove Gators took on the Heritage Park Kodiaks. Walnut Grove got out to a quick lead early with the help of their full court press. While it looked like it would work seamlessly, the Kodiaks returned with a three pointer to close the Gator’s early lead to 8 points. Walnut Grove continued to press, causing a turnover and easy layup to increase their lead to 12. Grove’s #9, Kiera Pemberton, had an easy lay-in before the Kodiaks broke the press. Kodiak’s kicked the ball out for #11 Ella Nielsen’s baseline three pointer. This trey was then returned by #2 Tia Rowell for Grove, whose defender wasn’t close enough beyond the arc. End of quarter score 25-11 for Walnut Grove.

At the start of the second quarter, Walnut Grove’s defensive pressure caused challenges for Heritage Woods. Grove’s #9 Pemberton gave it to #3 Fania Taylor in transition for an easy layup. Heritage Woods’ #3 Kimiya Khatibi then pulled down a defensive rebound to keep the Gators from scoring. With 6 minutes left in the first half, #2 on Heritage Woods, Jenny Lee, drove to the basket without success and on the other end, the Gators were able to capitalize and score. Heritage Woods’ #4 Rebecca Green returned with a pull-up jumper of her own. Grove’s Guard Tia Rowell then dished and drove to Emma Slade leading to a basket. Kodiak’s #22 Kate Mean however returned it on the other end. With 4 minutes left in the half, Coach Rowell calls off Walnut Grove Gator’s full court press, but some pressure from Heritage Woods in Grove’s back court caused a Gator turnover that Heritage Woods capitalized on, bringing their deficit to 20. On the other end of the court, #3 Taylor for Grove drove to the basket and was fouled, going 1 for 2 from the line. Kodiak’s #8 Haley Hughes cut ball-side to the basket and received the pass to lay it in. With 40 seconds left in the half, Hughes again drove, was fouled and headed to the line, hitting 1 of 2 and then getting her own rebound, but couldn’t capitalize. Taylor for Grove then goes end-to-end to lay it in just before the buzzer to give Walnut Grove a 49-25 lead at the half.

The second half saw Walnut Grove open up scoring that included #2, Rowell’s, three pointer to continue a 9-2 run by Grove. Fania Taylor for the Gators then hit a three to continue Grove’s scoring run of 14-2 points. Heritage Woods cashed in on the transition game as #22 Kate Mean passed to #10 Makenna Clough for a jumper which was then returned by a three pointer by Grove’s #9 Pemberton. After a couple of sloppy turnovers from the Kodiaks, Grove drove to the basket with Heritage Woods not getting the charging call. However, the Kodiaks gained possession long enough for #4 Rebecca Green to hit a three to bring the score to 68-32 in favour of the Gators. Green is feeling it as she hits another jumper in transition. Back-to-back layups in transition for each team followed by Fania Taylor’s chasing of her own rebound have both teams scoring often this quarter.

The fourth quarter saw Grove’s Rowell open with a long range three pointer as Grove now led 77-38. A brief double team on Tia Rowell by the Kodiaks leaves a Grove player open but the Kodiaks found a way to get a stop regardless. A Gator turnover on a set play leaves the Kodiaks with a scoring chance but Walnut Grove scored on the other end as their #9 Pemberton went up strong in the post. She then repeated with a strong drive and a left-handed lay-in. With 5 minutes to go in the game and up 41 points, Grove subbed as many players as they coild, which is four, as that is how many are on their bench.

With just over one minute left in the game, Fania Taylor for Grove stole the ball for a layup against pressure. McMath slowed the ball down and tried a three, but Taylor rebounded it but didn’t score. Kodiak’s #22 Mean drove to the basket, was fouled by Grove’s #11 Robyn Schroeder, and headed to the line for two. She made both. Walnut Grove took this one 89-51 over Heritage Woods to head to tomorrow night’s final. Good luck to both teams tomorrow!