Lady Wildcats open season with 58-41 win over Hammond Gavit

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith
11-16-2005

11-15-2005  Season opener in Cedar Lake, IN

GAVIT (41)  Dolshae Townsend 2-3-7,  Mary Francis 2-1-6, Christy Bytnar 1-5-7, Malinka Richardson 1-3-6, Angela Smith 6-3-15, Farren Clay 0-0-00, Caitlin Miller 0-0-0, Jessica Haase 0-0-0.  TOTALS: 12 (15-30) 41.

HANOVER CENTRAL (58) Anna Turturillo 4-7-15, Chrissy Holmoka 2-0-4, Christy Bader 3-0-6, Samantha Plant 2-2-6, Andria Trock 1-1-3, Krysta Rickey 5-7-17, Brittany Griner 0-3-3, Bethany Flores 0-2-2, Brandy Flores 1-0-2, Jordan Kramer 0-0-0, Megan Parks 0-0-0, Danielle Graham 0-0-0, Lindsay Martinez 0-0-0. TOTALS:  18 (22-29) 58.

FREE THROWS:  Gavit (15-30, 50%) Townsend 3-7,Francis 1-4, Bytnar 5-6, Richardson 3-4, Smith 3-9;  HANOVER CENTRAL (22-29, 75.8%)   Rickey 7-8, Trock 1-2, Turturillo 7-8, Plant 2-2, Griner 3-4, Bethany Flores 2-4, Kramer 0-1.

REBOUNDS:  Gavit (26) Townsend 7,  Francis 2, Bytnar 2, Richardson 4, Smith 11;
HANOVER CENTRAL (26) Rickey 3, Holmoka 2, Trock 3, Turturillo 5, Griner 6, Kramer 2, Graham 2, Brandy Flores 2, Bethany Flores.

ASSISTS:  Gavit (8) Francis 2, Bytnar 3, Richardson 2, Townsend;  HANOVER (9) Trock 2, Holmoka 2, Bader 2, Kramer 2, Turturillo.
STEALS:  Gavit (9) Townsend 3, Bytnar 2, Smith 2, Francis, Richardson;
HANOVER CENTRAL (13) Rickey 5, Bader 3, Griner 3, Kramer, Holmoka.

TURNOVERS:  Gavit (13-11-10-2)  36;  HANOVER (7-6-4-7) 24

3-POINT GOALS: Gavit (2) Francis, Richardson;  HANOVER (0)

FOULED OUT: Angela Smith (G) 2:12 - 4th Q;  Christy Bader (HC) 1:35 - 4th Q.

CEDAR LAKE (11-15-2005)  At first glance, Hanover Central doesn't have that much size and the 2005-2006 Lady Cats don't have that much experience.  But they have a lot of depth.  And they're going to have more wins than losses.

Coach Chris York used all 13 players Tuesday night and watched his girls sink 22 of 29 from the foul line to turn back an equally young but cold-shooting Gavit squad 58-41.

The Lady Cats (1-0), who didn't really know what they had in the preseason, used a full court press that helped create 36 turnovers.  It was the 77% foul shooting by Hanover that beat Gavit (0-2), who were competitive on the floor, but made only 15 of 30 from the line. 

"We shot a lot of free throws and I think the  competition is healthy," said York. "We try to make everything a competition so the girls get used to winning and losing. I don't know what we've got here as far as wins and losses at the end of the season. There are times when they don't know what they're doing, but there's never been a time so far when they didn't play hard.  They're always going to go hard."

In recent history, Hanover has been at their best when they can press full court and get opportunity baskets.  Depth problems and injuries have limited what HC could do in the past couple of years.  But with two lead guards (senior four-year varsity player Krysta Rickey and freshman newcomer Jordan Kramer) and a flurry of wing players, the Lady Cats are going to be able to play full court defense for four quarters. That alone will beat some teams.

"They haven't really played together at all," York said of Rickey and Kramer. "We've been so intent on tryouts.  The first seven days were only tryouts.  We threw our press in in one day.  All we're doing right now is the break, man-to-man and zone.  Our five starters tonight, I don't think they've done anything in a scrimmage situation yet.  Everything is such a work in progress.  I've never been that far behind in a season.  But we've got that many things to do before we start to click."

The Lady Cats will be competitive in most game because of senior lead guard Rickey, who led all scorers against Gavit with 17 points and five steals. The small front court will get a big boost if 5-foot-8 Anna Turturillo can keep it up. Turturillo scored 15 points and collected five rebounds while battling Gavit's 5-8 power forward Angela Smith (15 points, 11 rebounds). The season debut was close for a half as HC shot poorly from the floor and Gavit, which starts a very promising but very young duo of sophomore Mary Francis and freshman Malinka Richardson at the guards, committed 24 first half turnovers.  

Rickey had six points and three assists in the third quarter, beginning a 13-0 HC run that broke a 32-32 tie.  Rickey was the biggest factor in this game, pushing the ball up the floor at a high speed and and creating scoring chances. Turturillo and 5-9 senior Christy Bader moved well without the ball inside the foul lane.  With decent field goal shooting, Hanover could have scored 70 points.

"Anna's showed me she can do the job, " said York. "She did it last year in a half season and, if she stays out of foul trouble, she can be dangerous."

To be honest, Gavit could have scored 55 or 60 as well, but the foul shooting (15 of 30) was just awful. 

"We were 12 of 31 Saturday," said coach Chad Rueth of Gavit's season opening 44-34 loss to Calumet.  "That's going to be a big problem if we can't do anything about it.  I know we've got some talent."

Hanover's depth seemed to wear on the 5-6 freshman lead guard Richardson and broad shouldered 5-9 pivot Smith as the Gladiators' shooting got worse as the Tuesday night road game went on.

Kramer, a 5-5 guard making her varsity debut, did not score, but she is a skilled ball-hander and the pace of the game did not slow when Rickey sat down.  Hanover has had a long run of point guards including Christy Koby, who played on the 1999 regional championship team, Kelly Garrett, who stepped in after Koby graduated and Rickey, who took the ball when Garret graduated.

There is no question that Kramer will take over for Rickey at point guard next year. But teams with more than one true lead guard can over achieve and that's Hanover's hope for this year.

"Jordan can score if she wants to," said York. "But she's always going to be someone who thinks 'pass' first.  Until I get on her to shoot. Because she can really shoot the ball."

The future might be brighter than HC realizes. The 58 points scored Tuesday night is more than Hanover scored in 16 games last season. They have the potential to be a high-scoring offense against somebody other than LaCrosse. HC right now just wants to outscore 2A Sectional rival Wheeler Friday night (Nov. 18) over in Porter County.

"Our next two days are all about Wheeler," said York on his way out of the gym Friday. 

You got the feeling you saw the beginning of more than just another .500 season Tuesday night.  But it will be awhile before we know that.

LADY CAT NOTES:  Hanover started Krysta Rickey, Andria Trock and Christy Bader with sophomore Chrissy Holmoka and junior Anna Turturilo.

Freshman Jordan Kramer, Danielle Graham and Lindsay Martinez all came off the varsity bench Tuesday night after playing in the junior varsity's 52-10 win over the JV Gladiators.  Kramer played much of two quarters at point guard while Graham and Martinez played in the final period on the wings.  Hanover has only three seniors and three juniors.  The reality is that four sophomores and three freshman will have to contribute this year. There's also a reality that very soon the freshman class (HC's class of 2009) will be a significant factor.

"That's a team that was 16-1 last year in eighth grade," said York. "Those three girls are good and the other freshmen are good, too.  Our JV really crushed Gavit.  I don't know how it's going to work out, but I'm a big White Sox fan.  It will remain to be seen how much quality depth we have."

"But Ozzie Guillen played everybody.  He played Jeff Blum.  Scott Skiles (the Chicago Bulls coach) plays everybody.  And when you need someone at the end of a game they're ready.  So that's what I'm going to do."

Gavit will be a wining team if they can keep the pair of sophomore Mary Francis and freshman Malinka Richardson together. That might be easier said than done.

"We just hope we can keep them together," said coach Chad Rueth.  "Last year, we had DeLita Scott (now a 5-10 soph forward) and this year she's at Hammond high.  If we'd have had her we'd have won tonight.  Gavit girls seem to end up at other schools."

HC senior Christy Bader had two assists, three steals and three blocked shots before she fouled out late in the fourth quarter.  At 5-9, Bader needs to be more physical in the foul lane and she tried to be against Gavit.  Hanover's 5-7 sophomore forward Brittany Griner had six rebounds and three steals off the bench in her varsity debut. HC had three varsity players from last season who did not return and they need new contributors.  But, for one night, depth appeared not to be a problem.

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Revised: November 16, 2005 .