Girls: Carson Graham vs. Argyle
These close cross-town rivals will see a lot of each other this year with this being their first meeting since the Crehan Cup (Lower Mainland) final earlier this year. The Pipers appeared to have the height advantage and started with a 7-0 run leading to an early time-out by Carson Coach Nelson.
The Pipers thievery was on full display as they constantly disrupted the Eagles offence extending the run to 12-0 after three minutes. Was this going to be a lopsided game? Not if the Eagles had any say as they went on an 8-0 tear. Between Carson’s skill at the foul line and a three from the Pipers Holly Brewer, the scoring barrage had the score knotted at 15 with 3 min. to go in Q1. Then Carson took the lead on a 3 by Lauren Grey which ignited the fans. Carson had mounted an 18-3 run and, with a pair of late baskets by the Eagles’ Bauder, the score was 23-21 for Argyle at the end of the first quarter.
Into Q2 Carson’s Gio Lazzarini layed up the tying basket. The pace reached the frantic as the Pipers edged back into the lead. It was a ball-wrestling extravaganza with the Eagles’ Bauder passing while on the floor to teammate Twist for the deuce. Then Carson’s Grey had a great block that surely saved a basket which, however, was made shortly thereafter. Brewer for the Pipers drained a trey but Carson had the answer which was then re-answered (if that’s even a word) by Argyle. Through all this Lauren Grey of the Eagles was doing all the dirty work in relentlessly trying to preserve possession for her team. The Eagles point guard Baguinon was solid on the ball with always an eye for the three. A late steal and basket by Argyle’s Cami Ward (#13) finished the scoring at 43-29 Argyle at the half.
The second stanza started with the three-point rainstorm which, unfortunately, did not reach the scoreboard. There were more turnovers than a Danish bakery as both teams struggled to maintain possession. There was no scoring until 3 min. in when the Eagles Sophia Cross hit a mid-range jumper. The Pipers started scoring down low but Carson held the spread. The gap was narrowed to 12 when Cross made a pair of foul shots but the Pipers Ella Mellinghaus coolly made her own pair of foul shots despite the inhospitable home crowd heckling. The Pipers’ Brewer made a nice tear-drop shot followed by a left-side layup as Argyle expanded the gap to 59-37 at the end of Q3.
A spirited Carson squad started the fourth with a 5-0 run including a made ‘And One’ by Lazzarini but the Pipers could not be stopped as they answered with two lay-ups. Argyle’s lead hovered at 20-ish throughout the 4th quarter until they started to sizzle with 5 min. to go. Eventually the lead stretched to 27 on a three by Cami Ward.
Final Score: Argyle 89, Carson 54.