Smart players, when having a so-so shooting night, try to get to the free throw line.

 

Julia Groves did just that on Tuesday, and was supremely effective, going an eye-popping 14 of 15 from the line en-route to a 30-point game, leading Chapelgate Christian (5-3, 1-2) to a 56-49 B-Conference win over Bryn Mawr on Tuesday, in Baltimore.

 

New Head Coach Rick Kohr was ecstatic over the win. “Last year the team went 1-11 in conference play, and didn’t win that one game until February. We already played the two teams from last year’s B championship game, and got our feet wet and got some needed game experience. So with a win in the league, we are ahead of the game this year.”

 

Chapelgate opened with a 15-point loss to Severn and then lost to Pallotti by eight. The seven-point win over Bryn Mawr has the YellowJackets moving in the right direction.

 

The host Mawrtians jumped out to earn a 32-30 lead at the half, as Groves struggled, missing her first six shots from the floor. The Mawrtians extended their lead to five, 42-37, by the end of the third period. But Chapelgate persevered, and rallied to a 19-7 advantage in the fourth quarter, led by Groves.

 

Real scorers, if having an off-night as Groves was having early, will drive to the basket to draw fouls. Then they get a chance to go the line, and hit some free throws to get their shooting stroke and rhythm down and gain some confidence. Then they can go back to shooting and scoring.

 

Groves did that, getting 14 of her points from the line and 16 from the field.

 

On Groves’ performance, Kohr has nothing but praise for his junior guard. “Julia played with four fouls in the fourth. She missed all six shots in the first quarter but finished the rest of the game eight for 13 – jumpers, lay-ups and floating shots in the lane.  She was 14 of 15 from the charity stripe.”

 

“Emily Wolven also played well, especially being limited with a very bad ankle sprain. Courtney Stull had a solid game, and Kelly Stambaugh and Lauren Ahrens were brilliant defensively,” added Kohr.  Wolven, a senior forward, finished with 10 points, while Stull and Stambaugh added six apiece.


Bryn Mawr (5-3, 1-2) was led in scoring by sophomore guard Grace Parente with 12 points. Junior guard Paige Greene was next with nine.

 

The Mawrtians actually had more field goals (19) than the Yellowjackets (17). But it’s usually hard to beat a comparably skilled team that shoots well from the line. Chapelgate was 21 for 27 (77.7%), and Groves had a huge hand in that advantage, shooting a blistering 14 for 15 (93.3%).

 

Kohr hopes for good things from his team in 2007-08. “The team is improving every game in my mind.  We won the Eagle Classic over the holidays and then lost our first two conference games to two good teams. Now the first league win. This is a hard working group with a desire to improve every day in practice.  We will just keep working hard and see where it takes us.”


Chapelgate Christian 56, Bryn Mawr 49

CC – Ahrens 4, Wolven 10, Stull 6, Stambaugh 6, Groves 30. Totals 17 21-17 56.

BM – Parente 12, Greene 9, Szcerbicki 6, Thomas 6, Peterson 4, Noon 8, Matz 3, Hanson 1. Totals 19 10-16 49.

Half: BM, 32-30.

 

-- Mike Buchanan