By Bill Bray
FREMONT– After a sluggish first half, The Lady Giants came to life in the third quarter as they came away with their first Three River Athletic Conference win downing Toledo Whitmer 59-47.
After taking an 11-5 lead at the end of the first quarter, Ross sat back and watched as Whitmer’s Lia Rivers burned the net with three shots from beyond the arc. That along with Whitmer’s other 10 points gave the Lady Panthers a 24-23 lead at the break.
The Ladies got a wake-up call from their coach at the half. “Defensively I just told the girls that Whitmer has to be respected,” coach Juan Vela said. “They are varsity players for a reason. You can’t leave varsity players open. In the first half we weren’t respecting them at all. Vela continued, “At times we relax way too much. When our shots aren’t going in, and you add that to the defense, we were a mess.”
It was definitely a different feel to the team as the second half began. “As the second half started, I wanted our girls to own the paint (inside play),” Vela said. “I wanted the girls to play close to the basket and not attempt so many threes and we did that.” The result showed as the Lady Giants won the third quarter 23-12.
Statistically Ross finished with four players in double figures. Destiny Robinson who kept the Giants in the game, scored nine of her 12 points in the first half. Abby Cahill added eight points during the third quarter comeback to finish with 10. The third quarter play was aided the most by Janiah Holmes. After scoring a three in the first half, Holmes exploded for 12 second half points to lead the Giants with 15 points. Freshman Lyndi Wolf was the fourth Little Giant in double figures also adding 10 points.
Rivers, with her four towering threes in the first half, was held to one tre in the second half and led all scorers with 19.
In the junior varsity contest, the young Lady Giants were victorious with a 43-33. Maylin Dewalt and Natalia Alejandro led Ross with 16 and 15 points respectively.
The Ladies, standing at 4-0, will try to extend their streak Saturday with an afternoon game at Tiffin.
Janiah Holmes led Ross with 15 points.
Destiny Robinson added 12 points.
Abby Cahill contributed 10 points
Lyndi Wolf finished with 10 points as four Giants ended in double figures.
In JV action, Maylin Dewalt led Ross with 16 points.
Natalia Alejandro finished with 15 points after scoring Ross’ first 11 points.