King Holiday Hoopfest -- KW and BP

[sjducky]

Notes, thoughts and stats from the game...

Kylie Huerta (KW, 5-0) and Grace Beardemphl (BP 5-1) tipped the ball. Good call by the coaches and kids. :)

KW is up 13-2 way early in the game.

END ONE: Lindsey Moore leading the way with 11 of Kentwood's 23 points, while the Conquerors are up, 23-14. Sophomore Simone Potts of BP has six to lead the Lions. Since calling his second TO with 4:26 on the clock, Bellarmine has been putting up a fight and keeping with them.

Kentwood is playing its fourth game in seven days today, while BP is on its fourth in eight. Small mistakes are happening and my guess is a little fatigue playing a factor.

HALFTIME: Bellarmine looks sluggish and it doesn't help that the baskets aren't falling. It's KW 40, BP 24 at the half and KW's making it look pretty easy, especially when BP's slow to rotate defensively. Potts has eight for BP; KW's Moore has 12 and Huerta has 10.

END THREE: KW 55, Bellarmine 35. They just announced Sheryl Swoopes will present the game's MVP award at the conclusion of the game.

FINAL: KW 75, BP 48. Back later with some thoughts and maybe quotes.

[sjducky]

Even if the 27-point win doesn't make it look that way, I still think Bellarmine is one of the better teams in the state ... when they're on point and healthy. Hartwell played her fourth game of the season Monday, and Barnes was starting for the first time in a while as well. Meines hasn't had "his team" on the court together yet this season.

But Kentwood's good and, of course, they played on point today. It doesn't matter if teams key in on Moore, Genger, Huerta ... which ever player teams pick to stop on defense, another will step up. KW is that deep.

This is part two of Kentwood's test. Part one was the 3-0 trip to NW Nike in Beaverton, part two is this three games in four days streak ... Saturday vs. Federal Way (W), today vs Bellarmine (W) and tomorrow at Auburn Riverside. Hennig scheduled it this way, with BP between the two strongest SPSL North teams, for the closest regular season simulation of state he could get. It will also be a good test since AR, FW and BP are likely the toughest teams KW will face in the end-of-season tourneys until state.

As for Bellarmine, they're a work in progress. Yes, I think they're good, but there are factors. From what I saw of FW Saturday, and BP Fri and today, I think FW would win the rematch right now.

Of course, the ever-quotable Kevin Meines said after the game: "I've got to find out what (Hennig's) feeding his kids. ... That's a solid team, from top to bottom."

Grace Beardemphl led BP with 14 points.

Kylie Huerta led KW with 21 points, nine assists and five steals. Lindsey Moore added 18, seven and two. Jessie Genger scored 12.

[enjoytheride]

Thanks for all the great updates sjducky.

It will be very interesting to see how KW finishes. They are very, very good. I haven't seen a girl's BB team this good before. I hope they stay focused and can avoid the "one bad night at state" like they had in 2007 when they were 28-1. They are a much better team this year (that is saying a lot) because of their tremendous depth.

Good luck girls!