The Cardinals girls basketball team came out of the gate flying Thursday night against Ottawa and didn’t let up on the way to a 45-34 victory.
Jumping out to a 9-2 lead early was critical for taking down Ottawa, a team the Cardinals knew would be a tough opponent. The win moved the Cardinals to 10-4 on the season.
“To be able to go into a game against a talented team and come away with a win, that’s always good,” head coach Brandon Parker said.
The early lead came thanks to buckets by four players and stifling, aggressive defense early that put Ottawa on its back foot.
“Positive energy was one of our keys,” senior Parker Long said. “And we just knew we had to keep the momentum going out there because we knew they would come out strong.”
After the hot start, the Cardinals surrendered a couple of buckets to open the second quarter, helping Ottawa close the gap.
But freshman Izzy Brunkow came off the bench and sparked the Cardinals with three buckets in under two minutes, forcing an Ottawa timeout to cool the building momentum.
“She hit a couple big shots, which was huge for us,” Long said of Brunkow. “And that really just spiked up our energy.”
Brunkow wasn’t the only impactful player off the bench. Parker said junior Hanna Keltner was an example of how multiple players chipped in for the win.
“That’s what she can do,” Parker said of Keltner’s third-quarter steal and score. “And so, whether you’re starting five, or you’re coming off the bench, you just come out with an aggressive attitude and belief in yourself. That changes a team right there, and we started to see that tonight.”
Parker said the energy came from all 12 players who suited up, with seven Cardinals scoring points. Freshman Brynn Deterding led the team with 16, most of which came in the closing stretches to help put the game away.
The Cardinals didn’t just start the first half strong. They brought more defensive intensity to start the second, allowing only two points in the third quarter.
“We had nothing to lose,” senior Kenzie Yoder said. “We knew that it was gonna be a game, and so we came out with that energy, and just knowing that we’re gonna give it our all and if we fall short, we fall short. But we didn’t.”
The Cardinals will take the back-to-back wins on the road next Friday against Wamego, a team they lost to last week. Long and Yoder stressed the team needs to continue to bring the energy they had at home, without their home crowd.
“Energy is huge,” Long said. “Definitely on the away games because different gyms can be intimidating with their crowds and their students section. So, it’s definitely important to bring our own energy and feed off each other.”
Parker said he was happy the Cardinals could take down such a strong league opponent, but the schedule isn’t getting any easier for the rest of the year.
“We’re gonna be playing good teams throughout, and it’s gonna be really tough,” Parker said. “So, you know, we will take this win and build on it.”
Reach reporter Cuyler Dunn at [email protected]
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