GILMAN GIRLS BASKETBALL - Thorp gets trapped in Pirates’ lopsided Monday victory
GILMAN GIRLS BASKETBALL
Both squads had their early-season moments Monday, particularly when it came to taking care of the basketball, but the Gilman Pirates were better at taking advantage of their opponent’s mistakes, cleaning up the offensive boards and the outside shots started falling too in the second half in a 57-22 win over Thorp.
The host Pirates flustered Thorp with an extended 1-3-1 zone defensively that looked to trap near mid-court when opportunities presented themselves. Thorp turned the basketball over 38 times, leading to several fast-break opportunities for the Pirates.
The chaos created defensively led to some chaos offensively for Gilman, who on several occasions looked to push the pace a little too much and forced some bad passes. But overall, the game provided a glimpse of how aggressive head coach Tammy Weir would like to see her Pirates play.
“We were sloppy on offense, but holding down the 1-3-1 trap defense and then figuring out the transition from hectic and all over the place on defense to control on offense was difficult for us,” Gilman head coach Tammy Weir said. “Once we get more control on our 1-3-1, the offense will flow better.”
Thorp scored the first basket of the game on a Shaylie Zarza steal and then never led again. Gilman scored the next 12 points, which included an Allison Olynick basket off a Kayleigh James assist, an offensive putback by Danielle Mann, an Olynick score off a Claire Drier dish, another Drier assist to Aubrey Steinbach and a Mann rebound basket after Drier fed Addy Vick on another good pass.
Gilman closed the first half on a 13-2 run that made it 28-8 at the break.
Olynick found her way through Thorp’s defense for a layup at the buzzer.
Olynick, who had a big game on both ends of the floor, started the second half with a bucket to open up a 22-point lead. It was 35-16 when Gilman put down the hammer and ended all suspense with a Drier basket, a Mann score, a Mann steal that led to an Olynick basket and consecutive 3-point baskets from James, who hit one, and Mann, who swished two from the right corner. Mann scored in the post, Drier scored off a steal, James hit a free throw and Olynick scored an easy one off a baseline inbound pass from James to finish a 22-0 run and put the running clock into effect with 5:10 left.
Olynick, a sophomore, scored her personal varsity high 14 points and fueled Gilman’s defensive success with her active play at the top of the zone. She had eight rebounds, four assists and three steals. Mann led Gilman with 22 points and nine rebounds. She had seven steals and blocked three shots.
James scored eight points, Steinbach hit a second-half 3 and finished with five points. Drier scored four points and Jaylyn Orth and Addy Vick scored two apiece.
Orth had eight rebounds, James and Vick had five each and Drier had three. James had four assists, while Vick and Drier had three each. Drier and James both had six steals and Orth blocked a shot.
Pepper Rae Werner and Raquel Olson scored six points apiece for Thorp (1-2).
Gilman, now 2-1, is at Cornell tonight, Thursday, and goes to Alma Center Lincoln Monday before opening Eastern Cloverbelt Conference play Tuesday by hosting Owen-Withee at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday.
