The Golden Bear girls’ hoops’ squad had a tough outing Saturday afternoon, falling to nationally ranked St. Francis on the road. The following is the recap from Coach Tony Watkins:
“We lost to the #12 ranked team in the country (Maxpreps Xcellent 25 rankings) St. Francis 71-61. Our girls came out ready to play, scoring 21 points in the first period. Erika Cassell dominated the quarter with nine points in those eight minutes. Shai Blanding also chipped in five and we led 21-17 after the period.
“Khayla Pointer came alive in the second quarter when things were getting tough. Still, St. Francis took the lead 37-31 at halftime.
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“The Knights of St. Francis had a huge third quarter – we had a hard time scoring and they easily won the period 17-5.
“We played much better in the fourth. In fact, it was one of the best quarters we’ve played all season. We scored 25 points while going 11-for-13 from the foul line. Kaila Hubbard was able to get going with seven points in the frame.
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“Overall, I was pleased with the effort against one of the most talented teams in the nation. We love playing tough teams because that’s the only way for us to grow and progress. We are getting a little bit better every day.”
Looking ahead, the Bears return home this week with conference games against Hapeville Tuesday and Lovett Friday. Go Bears!