There will be a rubber match for the City League girls basketball championship on Friday.
Preseason favorite Start (14-7) and eight-time defending champion Rogers (14-6) each advanced with easy victories in Wednesday night’s semifinals at Scott, and will meet for the CL title at Scott on Friday at 7 p.m.
Start’s Spartans battled through a sloppy first semifinal with the host Bulldogs, but ultimately rolled to a 60-38 victory over Scott (10-11).
“Tonight wasn’t a good one for us,” Start coach Leon Kynard said. “We should have executed and gotten way easier baskets. We came out playing sloppy, and I’m not at all happy with this win.
“We did crash the boards and got some good put-backs, and we pushed the ball when we needed to. But, we’ve got to get good baskets in transition.”
The Rams of Rogers, winners of the past two Division II state championships, got off to a slow start offensively, but had little trouble in a 44-21 win over Bowsher (8-12).
In the first semifinal, Start was led in scoring by Alasia Easley’s 13 points, Kaylona Butler scored 10, and Victoria Alexander and Sincere Nicholson each had nine points in a balanced effort.
The Spartans forced Scott into 33 turnovers, but hit just 23 of their 76 shots (30 percent) from the field, including an ice-cold 2-of-20 on 3-pointers, and 12-of-28 at the foul line.
Regardless, Start was able to build a 35-15 lead by halftime, pushed it to 52-20 after three quarters, and cruised to its finals berth. Start won the rebounding battle, 46-39.
“At practice [Thursday] we’re going to go over a lot of things,” Kynard said, “as far as being tougher rebounding at the defensive end and moving our feet defensively.”
Scott was topped by 12 points from Maquaia Hudgins, and got six points apiece from Ja’Nyah Johnson and Jamyiah Horton,
The Bulldogs were 13-of-33 (39 percent) from the field, bolstered by a 7-for-11 finish in the fourth quarter, when they outscored Start 18-8.
In the second semifinal, Rogers led 8-6 after one quarter against a hustling defensive effort by the Rebels.
But Bowsher’s hard work did not translate at the other end of the court, as the Rebels were done in by ice-cold 6-for-39 (15 percent) shooting for the field, and a 9-of-19 effort at the foul line.
Rogers eventually adjusted to Bowsher’s pack-it-in zone, and pushed its lead to 23-11 by halftime, and 31-13 after three quarters.
“It was a slow game,” Rogers coach Lamar Smith said. “I played everybody, and got my bench in. We wanted to get out of this game without any injuries.
“We’ve still got a lot to learn. We’re still turning the ball over a little too much.
“I thought we came out a little sluggish, and that’s something I’m going to address with them in practice. A win is a win, but I thought we could’ve had a little more energy tonight.”
The Rams 6-foot junior forward Logen Love led the way with a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in the win.
“We definitely could’ve played better,” Love said. “We were missing too many easy buckets. I was too close to the basket and missing too many shots.
“Our defense was not that good. We didn’t hedge and we weren’t moving our feet on defense. We just have to pick it up.”
Rogers, which was 18-of-58 (31 percent) from the field, including 4-of-22 on 3-pointers, also got nine points each from AlazyonnaKimble and Anastacia Morgan.
The taller Rams outerebounded Bowsher 50-29, and forced the Rebels into 22 turnovers while committing 19.
Bowsher was led by eight points each from Aiyanna String and Alayza McClellan. String also grabbed seven rebounds.
Both teams look for a greater challenge in Friday’s final.
“We’re looking forward to it,” Kynard said. “We split 1-1 during the regular season, and it’s going to be one to remember. We’re going to give it all we’ve got come Friday.”
Start nearly upset Rogers in last year’s CL title game at Scott. But with the Rams having lost all five starters to graduation or transfer, the Spartans were favored to end Rogers’ title streak this year.
“It’s going to the be a good matchup,” Smith said. “We split [this year], and we have eight in a row, so we’re going to try to go for nine.
“But, there’s no pressure on us. We still have a very young team. We’re looking forward to it. It’ll be a good girls basketball game.”
First Published February 13, 2020, 3:12 a.m.
