R.L. Bynum
12-17-2007, 09:56 PM
Picked to finish third in the preseason, Bruton High’s girls have emerged as the Bay Rivers District favorite on the strength of four consecutive wins to open the season.
Defense has been the key.
The Panthers have used their full-court and half-court trapping defensive pressure to force about 30 turnovers per game. Panthers’ coach Wayne Burnette said that Sheriece Samuel and Jennifer Falin are each averaging about eight steals per game.
He added that starters Lucy Legaspi, Letitia Fowler and Jenny Rolley also have played well defensively.
“We don’t have any one player who can take over a game, but our chemistry has been good,” he said. “Each player knows her role.
“Defensively we try to keep people occupied from baseline to baseline.”
Falin (14.8 points per game) and Samuel (12.8) are the leading scorers, but the points have been well distributed throughout the roster. Burnette said that all 10 of his players have scored in three of the four games, and nine scored in the other.
“They’re all pretty smart kids, students of the game,” he said. “The things we teach in practice have carried over to game situations.”
The Panthers face one of their biggest early season challenges Wednesday, when they travel to Lafayette. The Rams (3-1) were picked to finish second in the preseason.
Defense has been the key.
The Panthers have used their full-court and half-court trapping defensive pressure to force about 30 turnovers per game. Panthers’ coach Wayne Burnette said that Sheriece Samuel and Jennifer Falin are each averaging about eight steals per game.
He added that starters Lucy Legaspi, Letitia Fowler and Jenny Rolley also have played well defensively.
“We don’t have any one player who can take over a game, but our chemistry has been good,” he said. “Each player knows her role.
“Defensively we try to keep people occupied from baseline to baseline.”
Falin (14.8 points per game) and Samuel (12.8) are the leading scorers, but the points have been well distributed throughout the roster. Burnette said that all 10 of his players have scored in three of the four games, and nine scored in the other.
“They’re all pretty smart kids, students of the game,” he said. “The things we teach in practice have carried over to game situations.”
The Panthers face one of their biggest early season challenges Wednesday, when they travel to Lafayette. The Rams (3-1) were picked to finish second in the preseason.