Article By: Gavin Crites
With their 40-20 win over Paris District High School (0-9) on Tuesday night, the Pauline Johnson Collegiate Thunderbirds (2-7) are now looking ahead to their meeting with the BCI Mustangs in the Brant County senior girls basketball quarterfinals next week.
T-Birds coach Neal Stamer said his squad has been "really competitive" in both previous games against BCI.
"We're very comparable," Stamer said. "Whoever plays better that night is going to win."
Against PDHS, the T-Birds used their size to score points around the basket and turn away shots in the defensive end.
Centre Chelsea Biggs scored 20 points in the win. A lot of her points came from inside the paint or from the free-throw line. Biggs added a few blocks and several rebounds.
"We have some pretty tremendous senior students," Stamer said. "Chelsea (Biggs), Erica Hewson and Zoe Wickson … we're very proud how they developed."
PDHS coach Dani Hawkins said her team looked better this time out against PJ, especially in the defensive end. Paris forced a significant number of T-Bird turnovers in the open floor and around the three-point arc.
"We did a really good job position-wise on defence," Hawkins said.
"They're bigger than us and they're more aggressive typically. The last time we played them PJ got all the loose balls and most of the rebounds, where tonight we were getting our fair share."
Deven Knill, who had several steals and four points on the night for PDHS, gave credit to her teammates for helping develop her skills.
"Basically, all the girls have played since (Grade 9), so everyone's gotten better as a team ….Definitely this year is probably one of our better years," Knill said.
Julia Hmiel led PDHS in scoring with eight points, while Beth Stulen and Emma Perry each added four.
Hawkins said her Panthers have come a long way since the start of the season.
"The kids are playing much better basketball since September," she said.
"Every game we just go out and have fun," said PJ's Brianna Rowe. "It's what we do."
Rowe, who plays guard for the T-Birds and typically relies on her speed and ball handling ability, blocked two shots in the game, while adding a field goal in the third quarter.
"Hopefully, we can win against BCI," said Rowe, looking ahead to next Tuesday's game.
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