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VALDOSTA – Junior guard Emma Martin knocked down seven 3-pointers because the Valdosta State girls ravaged the West Georgia Wolves 72-45 Thursday evening.
Martin completed with 21 factors to guide all scorers, burying 7 of 9 from past the arc. The switch from Utah Valley State drilled 4 straight treys within the third quarter because the Blazers hit 5 straight as a staff to go forward 58-28 heading to the fourth quarter.
“It simply felt good,” Martin mentioned of her greatest recreation as a Blazer. “It felt like the sport was coming to us. I did not ever really feel like I used to be in a rush. Issues have been simply going our approach and it simply felt good. We managed the tempo and once I was in a position to take time on these pictures, that is what each shooter needs.
“At one level, I type of thought…why am I nonetheless open? However I used to be completely happy about it. I used to be like, ‘I am simply gonna maintain going till they take it away.’ It was actually enjoyable.”
As a staff, the Blazers made a season-high 13 of 27 from the surface and shot 55.3% from the ground within the win.
“We watched a variety of movie from our Mississippi journey the place we didn’t shoot the ball effectively,” VSU head coach Deandra Schirmer mentioned. “The massive message we have been sending as a training employees was these are the pictures that we would like. These are glorious pictures. You are standing huge open. You have simply bought to trust and knock it down. For our gamers to remain true to our recreation plan and be capable to execute and get these open. pictures and knock ’em down tonight, I used to be actually completely happy for them and I believe it was a bit style of how aggressive this staff may be if we’re hitting pictures.”
Sophomore Kate Tanner and senior Kendall Bollmer scored 11 apiece. Bollmer knocked down 3 of 6 from the arc in 21 minutes off the bench. Tamiya Francis added eight factors and 7 assists in 31 minutes.
Maya Timberlake scored 10 factors off the bench for the Wolves. Sophia Singer contributed 9 factors and 10 rebounds within the loss.
Defensively, the Blazers held the Wolves to 35.4% taking pictures, together with an icy 2 of 16 from 3-point vary.
For the sport, the Wolves dished simply two assists and dedicated 23 turnovers. The Blazers got here up with 12 steals – 5 of which coming from Jirah Ards and three extra coming from sophomore Taylor Searcey.
By the primary six video games, the Blazers had gotten off to a number of gradual begins – trailing or tied on the finish of the primary quarter in 4 video games.
Thursday evening, the Blazers stormed out of the gate from the outset to guide 28-5 after the primary quarter – hitting 10 of 14 area objectives and three of 5 from 3-point land.
The second quarter noticed the Blazers decelerate significantly as they scored simply 11 factors within the body.
Regardless of the lull, the Blazers nonetheless held a commanding 39-15 benefit on the half. Eight completely different gamers scored factors within the first 20 minutes of the sport.
“We had that lead within the first quarter due to our protection,” Schirmer mentioned. “We had good defensive stops after which we have been getting out in transition and we have been in a position to rating simply in transition. I bear in mind one go up after which layup and our posts have been working the ground and scoring in transition. It was actually how we talked about doing our job defensively and rebounding after which having the ability to capitalize on that on the again finish.
“Down the stretch, we did not try this. We did not rebound the ball very effectively. We gave up too many offensive rebounds, so we did not have that many transition seems. We had an awesome begin and we have been disciplined to start, however we have to have the ability to proceed that for 40 minutes as a result of we’re about to face some actually robust groups.”
FREY BACK IN THE FRAY
The Blazers welcomed senior guard Kayla Frey again to the lineup Thursday evening.
Frey missed all of final season as a consequence of being pregnant. She performed simply shy of seven minutes in her season debut, grabbing two rebounds with two private fouls and a turnover.
Having Frey’s management and flexibility on each ends of the ground, Schirmer mentioned, fills an necessary position for a staff discovering its stride after a troublesome begin to the season.
“She’s a pacesetter, she’s any person that everyone will comply with, she’s a loud voice and she or he is aware of what she’s doing,” Schirmer mentioned of Frey. “For us, this group has type of been searching for that chief determine and regardless of if she performs 20 minutes or she performs zero, she’s going to be a relaxing power for us.
“We’re actually excited. She’s additionally a dynamic participant. She’s nonetheless getting wholesome, nonetheless getting again to 100% however I really feel like what we’ve got proper now with the group that we’ve got, we’ve got so many various seems we are able to throw at groups, Irrespective of who we’re dealing with, we’ve got a aggressive group. That is one thing I actually like as a result of it provides us a variety of versatility.”
UP NEXT
The VSU girls return to motion Sunday, Dec. 11 in opposition to Union. Tipoff for that recreation is scheduled for two p.m.
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