The Scotia-Glenville girls basketball team used to pursue the Foothills Council leaders. Now, the Lady Tartans are the ones being pursued.
Scotia-Glenville (6-0 league, 8-2 overall) stands alone in first place following Tuesday’s 57-22 victory over Broadalbin-Perth. Queensbury and Glens Falls are tied for second place with 4-2 records, two games behind the Lady Tartans.
The girls deserve to be where they are. They’ve worked very hard to get here, said Scotia-Glenville coach Regan Burns.
Burns has molded the Lady Tartans into a defensive juggernaut, at least within the Foothills Council. Scotia-Glenville has allowed an average of 31.8 points per game to its league foes, and only Glens Falls has reached the 40-point plateau against the Lady Tartans.
`It’s not anything new. Defense wins games,` said Burns. `We play at our best when our defense creates our offense.`
Scotia-Glenville’s defense shined Tuesday against Broadalbin-Perth, even if its shooters were off target at times. The Lady Tartans stole the ball 25 times and forced the Lady Patriots (1-5, 3-6) into many more turnovers.
A prime example of Scotia-Glenville’s defensive prowess came early in the third quarter. The Lady Tartans’ full-court press bothered Broadalbin-Perth so much that it took the Lady Patriots 22 seconds and two inbounds passes to get the ball from under their own basket to midcourt. Broadalbin-Perth’s possession ended with a turnover underneath Scotia-Glenville’s basket as the 30-second shot clock expired.
The offense was a little slower to come around, though. Scotia-Glenville went through several cold snaps in the first half before picking up the pace in the second half to put Broadalbin-Perth away.
`One of the things I did at halftime was challenge the girls to play better because we were flat in the first half,` said Burns. `The girls picked up the intensity in the second half.`
Danielle Conley and Cassie Broadhead spearheaded Scotia-Glenville’s offense. Conley netted 12 of her team-high 19 points in the second half and added 11 rebounds, while Broadhead drained three three-point shots on her way to an 18-point night.
`Danielle [Conley] was sprinting through her lanes in the second half, and when she sprints her lanes, she gets open looks,` said Burns.
Broadhead has been Scotia-Glenville’s most consistent scorer. The freshman guard averages 17.2 points per game and is the Lady Tartans’ best three-point shooter.
`She’s a great player,` said Burns. `She knows her role [as a shooter], and even if she has an off night, she keeps at it until it’s not.`
Sarah Janson contributed nine points and 10 steals for Scotia-Glenville. Sarah Cope led Broadalbin-Perth with eight points.
The Lady Tartans look to complete the first half of the Foothills Council season undefeated when they visit South Glens Falls Friday, and Burns said her team will see the Bulldogs’ best effort.
`We have to be prepared to play every game,` said Burns.“