Millbrook Girls Top Colonels, 52-45

Posted: February 7, 2014
By ROBERT STOCKS
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — Even though the shots weren’t falling for Millbrook’s girls’ basketball team Thursday night, the Pioneers mustered just enough offense to hold off James Wood to stay unbeaten in the Northwestern District.

Millbrook shot just 3 for 11 from the field in the fourth quarter, but senior Brenna Cook and junior Casey Ackerman combined for all 11 of the Pioneers fourth-quarter points to fend off a solid effort by James Wood.

Cook led the way, scoring 15 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, and Ackerman added 13 points and three steals to lead the Pioneers to a 52-45 victory over James Wood at Casey Gymnasium.

“We didn’t play really very well as a team tonight,” said Millbrook coach Kevin Barr, whose team improved to 15-3, 5-0 Northwestern. “We played much better as a team in the second half and took care of the basketball a little bit better.

“When we play as a team and trust one another — obviously we’re a lot better and we didn’t do a very good job of that tonight. Give [James Wood] credit for playing good man-to-man defense on us and pressuring us. They did a good job of that, and we didn’t handle it real well.”

James Wood (11-8, 1-5 district) led throughout the entire first half, but Cook’s 3-pointer put the Pioneers ahead for the first time, 27-26, with 6:53 left in the third.

The lead changed hands three times before Millbrook’s Lauren Reed knocked down three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt to put the Pioneers back on top 32-31 at the 4:39 mark.

James Wood struggled from the field, going scoreless over the next 3:29 until Danielle Rizzari’s 3-pointer cut the deficit to 38-34 with 1:10 remaining.

After a Pioneer timeout, Joneisha Cain connected on a 3-pointer to help Millbrook take a six-point advantage into the fourth quarter after Laura Seymour hit the second of two free throws in the final minute.

James Wood sophomore Keiana Brooks cut the Pioneers’ lead down to three midway through the fourth when she drove in for a layup and was fouled by Cain, who fouled out with five points at the 3:58 mark.

But Brooks missed the free throw attempt to cut the deficit down to two, and the Colonels never got any closer the rest of the way.

Ackerman scored on a layup to push the lead back to five, and James Wood missed on its next two trips down the floor. On the second miss, Cook grabbed a key defensive rebound and then scored on a layup and got fouled to give the Pioneers a 48-41 lead with 2:10 left.

Cook couldn’t connect on the chance at a three-point play, and James Wood cut the deficit back to five after Laura Seymour connected on a jumper with 1:55 remaining.

“I think we calmed down and played the way we usually do [in the fourth quarter],” Ackerman said. “We kind of panicked a little [in the first half] but we were able to settle down and play.

“They’re always strong on defense and they have really quick players like Keiana and Dani, who can anticipate well, so that’s always difficult. We didn’t start like we wanted to, but we came back strong and kept our heads on.”

With a five-point lead, the Pioneers showed poise and they capitalized on being in the bonus in the closing minutes. Both Ackerman and Cook converted both free throws on a pair of 1-and-1 opportunities to seal the win.

Ackerman’s and Cook’s combined 11 points bested the Colonels output in the fourth by one.

“Casey’s been huge for us lately,” Barr said. “As long as she can keep handling the ball and take it to the basket and do what she does there — we’re good. Brenna is always going to be solid.

“We usually shoot a little bit better from the outside [going just 3 of 11 from 3-point range] than we did [Thursday]. But again, [Wood] did a good job guarding us.”

Reed overcame an off-shooting night (going scoreless from the field in the final three quarters) to still finish in double figures with 12 points, connecting on 8 of 9 attempts from the free-throw line.

The Colonels led throughout the entire first half, leading by as many as seven with just over two minutes to go in the opening quarter.

But both teams combined for just six field goals (three each) in the second quarter. The Colonels went 3 for 12 from the field, and the Pioneers shot just 3 for 9 in the second as Millbrook cut the deficit down to just two points after Reed hit the second of two free throws just before the half to cut Wood’s lead to 24-22 at the break.

James Wood coach Krista Crites said her team turned in a solid effort, especially on the defensive end considering the Pioneers beat the Colonels 69-53 in the first meeting on Jan. 10.

“I told them after the game that in 18 games I’ve never been more proud to be their coach,” Crites said. “I thought they stepped up defensively and in the second half we just didn’t hit shots like we did in the first half. That was the difference. We lost by seven and at the end it was free throws.”

The Pioneers struggled from 3-point range but went 17 of 27 from the free-throw line, including 5 of 6 in the fourth quarter.

Rizzari led the Colonels with 13 points and four assists, and Brooks, who returned to the starting lineup after missing four games with a strained ligament in her right ankle, added 10 points, two assists and two steals.

“They had good defense, but we found our open shots when we needed to [in the first half],” said Rizzari. “We just didn’t make smart passes [late in the fourth] and they just got in the 1-and-1.”

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