A huge second quarter and balanced scoring lifted the Anthony Wayne girls basketball team to a lopsided 67-41 win against Northern Lakes League preseason favorite Northview on Tuesday.
The Generals led by five after the first quarter before seizing total control in the second quarter by outscoring the Wildcats 22-10. Anthony Wayne then coasted at home.
Seven of the 10 Generals scored points, and three reached double figures. They prevented any hope of a Wildcat comeback by hitting 21 of 22 free throws, including 14 of 14 in the second half.
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“It's a tremendous win because everyone knows they are the preseason favorites, and you have to beat them before you can take them out of that spot,” AW coach Jeremy Terwilliger said. “Our kids have grown a lot, and for them to come out and put on that performance was pretty special.”
Anthony Wayne (5-1 overall) remained undefeated in the NLL (4-0).
Junior Jasmine Bonivel scored a team-high 15 points, while junior Sara Zankl chipped in with 14, and junior Megan Bedard added 13 for the Generals.
“It feels great because we haven't beaten them since we've been in school, and we're juniors,” Zankl said. “This team has been together since fifth grade, and we know how to play together. We have someone new come out every day and score.”
AW nailed four 3-pointers, including two from senior Lauren Cardinal during the key run. In the first half, the Generals drilled 6 of 8 shots from 3-point range. Anthony Wayne had 18 points from the arc in the first half, while the Wildcats scored 22 overall in the first half.
“We have a couple of kids who are very good perimeter shooters,” Terwilliger said. “We have a lot of kids that can step out there and knocked down those shots.”
Five different players had 3-pointers in the first half for the Generals.
Northview sophomore Kendall Jessing scored a game-high 19 points, and Kendall McCoy had 10 for the Wildcats (3-2 overall, 2-2 NLL).
“They by far outplayed us,” Northview coach Jerry Sigler said.
Bonivel, who also had six rebounds, hit back-to-back jumpers to give AW a 34-22 lead as the Generals ended the first half with a 9-0 run.
“We share the ball and the team works hard together,” Bonivel said.
Cardinal hit two pivotal 3-pointers early in the second quarter during a 10-5 spurt. Rachel McKay and McKenzie Krieg also connected on 3s in the second quarter.
“We are pretty good when we shoot the ball that well,” Terwilliger said. “We have been fortunate that we've had a lot of different kids step up at different times.”
AW has now converted 103 of 122 free throws (84.4 percent) this season.
“We practice that all the time,” Zankl said. “In pressure situations coach will call out names, and if you don't make it, the whole team has to run.”
The Generals are undefeated in NLL play with wins over Bowling Green, Maumee, Springfield, and Northview. The win sets up a showdown with next Friday against Perrysburg, which also in undefeated in league play.
“That should be a fun one,” Terwilliger said.