Although the Windham Bombers girls’ basketball team was not at full strength, they were ignited by a big third quarter and defeated Cardinal 70-41 last Thursday evening at Windham’s Marty Hill Court.
“This was big because a freshman and two sophomores had to play big minutes,” said Bombers’ Coach Jim Collins. “They not only played those minutes but stepped up and played a role within having to fill those holes.”
Despite being in different counties, Windham (4-2, 3-1) and the Huskies had become familiar with each other, having played four times in the last seven seasons until last year when Cardinal (0-8, 0-5) could not field a girls’ varsity team because of low numbers.
The Bombers’ seventh-year coach said it was refreshing to have Cardinal back on the schedule.
“It was really nice,” Collins said. “You do not want to have any high school not have a program. Our numbers are dwindling, and we might be put in a position here pretty soon and we do not want to see that. We want kids to be able to come out and play.”
Windham enjoyed a fast start in the first period, taking a 17-4 advantage sparked by senior guards Briah Daniel and Mariah Woods, who combined for 15 points.
Collins acknowledged that it was a better start than anticipated because the Bombers originally planned to slow the pace down, given they were missing two starters with senior forward Abby Simpson and junior guard Quinn Justham both being unavailable due to injury.
“I think this year we are extremely athletic,” said the 5-foot-8 Daniel. “That is what helped us get on the run a lot which was our athleticism. Even though we were not pressing we were still getting a lot of steals, so I think our athleticism is what helped us press in the first period.”
The Bombers appeared to be fatigued near the end of the first quarter and surrendered a 6-0 run, allowing the Huskies to trim the lead to 17-10.
Despite not allowing Cardinal to make a field goal until the 1:05 mark of the first quarter, their fatigue continued and their lead dwindled in the second quarter until the Huskies cut the gap to 28-22 near the end of the half.
A jump shot from the left wing by sophomore guard Sydnie Sweet off an assist by Daniel pushed Windham’s lead to 30-22 at the half.
It was at that point when the Bombers’ guard duo of Daniel and Woods seized control.
The Windham pair caught their second wind in the third period, igniting a 12-5 run to stretch the Bombers’ advantage to 42-27. Daniel and the 5-foot-6 Woods pushed the pace again.
“I have not seen a guard that plays the point guard position better in this area than Mariah,” Collins noted. “Mariah is big, fast, physical, can go both ways and finishes at the bucket. I will probably cry a little bit when she graduates.”
Woods only scored four points in the third quarter but used her court vision to set up several easy baskets for her running mate Daniel, who scored eight consecutive points during that stretch.
“Coach Collins always tells us that the first and third quarters are the most important quarters of any game,” Daniel said. “We wanted to come out in the third quarter and put it away. We knew we had to get it together and go on a little bit of run. We have played together since the third grade and it is to the point where all it takes is eye contact or a head nod and I know what she is doing and she knows what I am doing.”
Daniel ignited the Bombers on the fast break, scoring 16 points in the third quarter. She finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and three assists.
“Briah has gradually moved over to ball-handling,” said Collins. “Now she can handle the rock a little bit and can go either way. She can attack and finish. She has a ‘hate to lose’ mindset and sometimes even when she is gassed, ‘the hate to lose’ mindset creeps in.”
The Bombers outscored Cardinal by a 25-8 margin in the third period, allowing the Huskies to only make three field goals to take a 25-point advantage and cruise to victory in the fourth quarter.
“We were only down by eight points at the half,” said Huskies’ Coach Kim Domen. “I told them to come out aggressive and push the ball and box out and just run the offense and we just did not execute. It is the little things that we are not doing that we need to capitalize on.”
After the Christmas holiday, the Bombers will host LaBrae on Thursday evening at 6:15 p.m. while Cardinal will host Jackson Milton on the same night at 6:30 p.m., then travel to face St. John in Ashtabula on Saturday at 1 p.m.
