Lady Dawgs triumph over Austin High
Manda Martin is bumped as she tries to steal the ball.
BURNET — Firing mostly from afar but also point-blank on transition, Burnet High School’s girls varsity basketball team streaked to a 58-38 victory over Austin High School in the first round of the Burnet Basketball Tournament Friday.
The Lady Dawgs relied on full-court pressure to create quick strike opportunities and pitched it out to their offensive-trigger, Shanise Graeter, who amassed 17 points including three three-point shots.
“We got some early steals off the press which led to easy baskets,” said Lady Dawgs head coach Mike Cavender.
A defensive lockdown unnerved the Lady Maroons and pushed the Lady Dawgs to a 14-6 lead in the first four minutes of the game. Burnet allowed only one point in the next four minutes of the first quarter and continued the hailstorm of transition points with shots by Graeter, Manda Martin, Mandi Lindley and Brooke Rockafellow. Despite poor shooting from outside, the Lady Dawgs soundly led 24-7 after only one period of play.
“We didn’t shoot particularly well in the first half and we got by, but they came back,” said Cavender. “We didn’t handle their defensive zone very well and our guards forced the action instead of being patient.”
Austin eroded Burnet’s 17-point lead with an active zone on defense. The Lady Maroons held the Lady Dawgs scoreless for over four minutes and put together a 10-2 run. In the final four minutes of the second quarter, a transition layup by Kerstyn Towslee, a 10-foot jumper by Rockafellow and Graeter’s two bonus shots kept Burnet firmly in front 30-19 going into intermission.
When Austin closed within nine points with their first basket in the third quarter, Burnet shifted into a different gear and unleashed some heavy artillery.
“We hit in the second half and stretched out our game,” stated Cavender.
Graeter connected on three from long range and added two close jumpers and two free throws. Rockafellow hit her stride and hit two three-point shots and Jessica Robinson muscled one in on a putback.
The Lady Dawgs outscored Austin 22-12 that round and glided to a 52-31 advantage going into the final period.
Burnet limited Austin to only seven points in the final period and punctuated their performance with some impressive offensive plays down the stretch. One was by the sophomore post, Robinson, and the other by Martin. Robinson, showing her speed and conditioning, sped down court to receive a pass for a layup. In another play executed flawlessly, she held her rebounding position, pulled in the ricochet, and elevated to lay up the ball.
Martin showed her agility and control with a fake and dribble-drive for a bucket.
Martin and Rockafellow finished with 12 and 10 points respectively. Lindley, Towslee, Sultemeir and Robinson all were credited with four points. McKinsey Cozart had two points and Callie Smith added one.
The win evened the Lady Dawgs record at 5-5.
Photo by Jennifer Fierro