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Laser Cats: Celina on point from long range in win over Plano
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
CELINA -- Non-district can bring about strange matchups.
Such was the case Tuesday night as Class 5A Plano Senior traveled to Celina, the No. 8 team in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches' Class 3A state poll.
Size discrepancies didn't matter in classification or on the court as the Lady Wildcats (12-5) were tagged with the loss, 56-45.
Celina was plenty motivated in the first quarter.
The Lady Bobcats got out to an 11-4 lead as the Lady Wildcats didn't make a field goal, with the lone points coming on free throws from junior Haley Shearer and senior Lucy Gentry, who also had five rebounds.
"We were playing without our top scorer and rebounder (senior Wilma Afunugo)," said Lynn Meger, Plano head coach. "She tweaked her ankle in practice yesterday, so this was our first time without her and we kind of learned a lesson. But that speaks to Celina too; they are a good team."
Plano's offensive woes were tied to Celina's defense as the Lady Wildcats turned the ball over 10 times in the first eight minutes.
"I thought we did a good job in the first quarter," Davis said. "We like to try and create turnovers to start the game and we were really able to bring the pressure up front to start."
"We were really sloppy with the ball," Meger added. "And when you are loose with the ball against a good team, it is going to cost you."
Plano didn't get its first field goal until the 7:04 mark of the second quarter when senior Grace Mitchell, who had 11 points and five rebounds, made a layup. But the Lady Wildcats were able to weather their first-quarter problems in part due to Celina's poor shooting.
That changed in the second.
In that quarter, the Lady Bobcats began a barrage of 3-pointers, growing the lead to 30-14 after a 12-2 run that included trifectas from sophomore Alex Jones (16 points and six rebounds), junior Callie Wells (15 points) and junior Sarah Cantu (nine points).
"We thought Plano might run a zone so we had our zone offense ready," Davis said. "We found some open corners and gaps, but the key was the girls being able to knock their shots down."
The Lady Wildcats responded with a 9-2 surge but still trailed, 32-23, at the break.
Plano continued to eat away as Celina's once sizable lead in the third by attacking the basket with more regularity. The result was an 11-0 spurt with the visitors pulling to within 37-34 following four straight free throws from sophomore Kara Mitchell, who had 12 points. That deficit was whittled to 39-37 by the end of the quarter after a 3-pointer by freshman Yasmine Samadzada, who scored eight.
"We started getting to the basket more in the third," Meger said. "And they had no answer for Kara Mitchell."
But once again, Celina had another gear.
The Lady Bobcats started the final frame on a blistering 9-0 run with another 3-ball from Wells and multiple rebounds by sophomore Kynese Davis, who scored eight points to go with her game-high 10 boards. Celina sophomore KJ Stastny was next in line with seven rebounds to compliment eight points.
"We had an opportunity," Meger said. "But we missed too many rebounds when we had it down to two or four points."
Despite six boards from senior Haley Wray, Plano was outrebounded by significantly smaller Celina, 31-30.
"We aren't big," Davis said, "but I always tell the girls we can play big by blocking out and limiting those second-chance opportunities."
Plano wouldn't get closer than nine points following Celina's surge as the home team picked up the 56-45 victory. The Lady Bobcats are off until Monday when they travel to Sanger at 6:30 p.m. while the Lady Wildcats, who also open district Jan. 4, host Denton Ryan at 7 p.m. Friday. Afunugo is expected back for that game.
"There are no excuses tonight; Celina hit their shots and we didn't," Meger said. "But we're a resilient team and we'll recover."
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