ROCK CLASSIC: Henderson International girls use defense to roll past Indian Springs

Coach Amanda Hall would like to see her Henderson International girls basketball team make strides in its offensive efficiency and finish games stronger.

 

But no one can quarrel with the team’s defensive effort.

 

The Wolverines held Indian Springs to nine points through three quarters Friday on the way to a 34-20 home win in the quarterfinals of the Rock Holiday Classic.

 

Henderson International (5-3), which surpassed last season’s win total with the victory, only allows 29.8 points per game on average.

 

“I’ve got to give a lot of credit to the kids,” Hall said. “They’re anticipating, and it’s their competitiveness. They want the ball.”

 

Henderson International outscored Indian Springs 16-4 in the first quarter, but only 18-16 the rest of the way.

 

“The first quarter was our key,” Hall said. “Unfortunately, after that, I’m not sure we played our best basketball.”

 

It was good enough to beat the Thunderbirds (2-5), who opened the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run to pull within 30-17.

 

Kerry Chang led the Wolverines with 13 points and 12 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass.

 

Brittany Huff added eight points and seven steals for the Wolverines, and Lee Harrison supplied six points and 13 rebounds.

 

Hall said the Wolverines will be focused on finishing stronger when they meet Beatty in a semifinal Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

 

“It’s terrible to walk away with a fourth-quarter feeling like we did,” she said. “We’re disappointed, and I think that’s the best thing about these kids; they expect to play better than that.

 

“We talk about being a tennis ball and responding to stuff like this and bouncing back.”

 

Still, Hall is pleased with Henderson International’s progress. The Wolverines finished with a 4-18 record last season, but have won four of their last five games to eclipse that win total.

 

“We’ve gotten a taste of winning lately, and I think we didn’t want to let that go,” Hall said. “Had we not had a couple wins under our belt, this might have been a closer game.”

 

Alexxa Reinke scored eight points and Kristina Espinoza had seven for Indian Springs.

Beatty 32, Trinity 15 — Kaitlin Ulrich scored 10 points to lead the Hornets past the Thunder.

 

Beatty outscored Trinity 11-2 in the third quarter — the only double-digit period by either team — to pull away.

 

Reny Celero led Trinity with six points.

 

Lake Mead 58, Calvary Chapel 37 — Emily Dean scored 19 points to lead the Eagles to a rout of the Lions.

 

Jordan Clarke added 12 points for Lake Mead.

 

Anna Duerden scored 16 points and Samantha Mann added 10 for Calvary Chapel.

 

Henderson International 62, Indian Springs 23 — Jay Sutorius scored 22 of his 26 points in the first half to help the Wolverines thump the Thunderbirds.

 

Sutorius, who sank four 3-pointers in the first half, also had four steals. Cal Rivera added 10 points for the Wolverines.

 

Henderson International held Indian Springs scoreless for the first five minutes of the third quarter.

 

Adam Reinke paced Indian Springs with 11 points.

 

Lake Mead 79, Trinity 47 — Landon Littlefield poured in 29 points to lead the Eagles past the Thunder.

 

De’Quan Thompson added 11 for Lake Mead, which led 42-17 at halftime.

 

Budweiser Hawkins poured in 32 points for Trinity.

Beatty 66, Word of Life Academy 29 — Anthony Regalado led the Hornets with 20 points in the win.

 

Ramiro Hernandez added 16 and Jose Moreno had 10 for Beatty, which led 38-17 at halftime.