By DAVE O’SULLIVAN
Staff Writer
ABSECON — Holy Spirit’s zone defense and balanced scoring was too much for Cedar Creek to handle on Monday night, as the Spartans put the clamps on the Pirates and cruised to a 49-24 victory, their third straight to start the season.
Seniors Ayanna Jones and Ariyanna Wilkes, and sophomore Savanna Holt each scored nine points, but it was the Spartans’ defense that made the difference. Cedar Creek jumped out to an early 11-4 lead, but Holy Spirit limited the Spartans to just seven points combined in the second and third quarters to pull ahead and put the game out of reach.
“Basically, what coach was talking about was coming out with intensity, come out great from the start and don’t come out lacking,” Wilkes said. “We came from a nice win over St. Joe’s yesterday, so coach (Dennis Smith) said he wanted us to come out with that same intensity.”
Holy Spirit graduated dynamic guards Cass Gallagher and Natalie Niederhofer from last year’s squad, but the Spartans seem to be picking up right where they left off. Jones has assumed the role of point guard, and Holt is a similar type of shooter to Niederhofer. Holt nailed a pair of 3-pointers late in the third quarter that pushed the lead to 37-18 and effectively ended any thoughts the Pirates might have had about a comeback in the fourth quarter.
Wilkes did most of her damage in the first half, slashing to the basket and also getting some second-chance looks off offensive rebounds. A couple of putbacks by Wilkes and a layup from Jones highlighted an 8-0 run to start the second half, as Holy Spirit built a 24-14 lead. Cedar Creek got an early 3-pointer from Erika Tanko to jump out to an 11-4 lead, but a fast-break layup from Wilkes and a bucket by Jones off a steal a few minutes later shaved the lead to 12-10. Holt put back a missed shot to tie the game at 12, and moments later two straight putbacks by Wilkes gave the Spartans a 17-12 lead, a lead Spirit would not relinquish.
“I’m more of a drive-to-the-basket type of player. I can shoot, but I feel more comfortable driving to the basket,” Wilkes said.
Freshman forward Ciani Redd-Howard chipped in with five points for Spirit, while Tanko led the Pirates with nine points. Tay Tay Parker and Gabby Luko each added five for Cedar Creek.
Wilkes said the key to the Spartans’ hot start has been their ability to find some chemistry on the court quickly.
“We like to bond and get to know each other on the court,” she said. “It’s starts in practice, we start to learn everybody’s move and communicate with each other.”
Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sully@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays