12/10/2009 6:00:00 AM Lady Bulldogs drub helpless Havasu by 44
SHAWN BYRNE/Miner
Tesla Morgan goes up strong with her left hand during Kingman High's 62-18 rout over Havasu Tuesday at KHS. Morgan finished with 20 points and seven rebounds, as the Lady Bulldogs won their third straight game to open the 2009-10 season. KHS is at the three-day Schuck Component Shoot-Out Invitational starting today.
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KINGMAN - It took a few minutes to get rolling, but once the Kingman High girls basketball team did, the drama didn't last long. The Lady Bulldogs were all over Lake Havasu in a 62-18 win Tuesday at KHS, and there wasn't a second-half letdown like there was against Bullhead City Mohave.
"We had time to work on the Mohave mistakes," KHS coach Danny Gonzalez said. "We didn't finish that game, worked on it and did it tonight."
KHS (3-0) opened up an 18-4 lead at the end of the first quarter, increasing it at the half, 34-10. The Lady Bulldogs held a 27-point lead against Mohave Dec. 1 but ended up winning by only 11. Against Havasu (1-2), KHS kept up its pressure to outscore the Knights 28-8 in the second half.
Lindsey Reed led the Lady Bulldogs with 21 points and seven assists, and she pulled down eight rebounds. Tesla Morgan was right behind Reed with 20 points and seven rebounds.
"Tesla did a great job on her drives tonight," Gonzalez said. "I'm real proud of her."
Reed's numbers can easily be taken for granted, but Morgan has shown signs this young season that KHS' opponents may also need to focus on her.
"I worked on my shot a lot this summer," Morgan said. "It feels good when it rains on people, and I just want to get it up there. I feel a lot more confident."
Dominique Hale continued to be a monster on the boards, pulling down 14 rebounds with her eight points. Bianca Sapien added nine points, and Amber Caswell finished with four points, six rebounds and five assists.
The game's unsung heroes were Michelle Bracy and Shelby Lehew. The pair's busyness interrupted Havasu's advance to the rim.
"Michelle and Shelby played their best games," Gonzalez said. "You can't see it in points, but there was a lot of hands and tipped balls."
The Lady Bulldogs have cruised through their first three games, but they can expect to be tested at the three-day Schuck Component Shoot-Out Invitational hosted by Deer Valley in Glendale. KHS opens the tournament at 5:30 p.m. today against Glendale Ironwood (1-3).
"We'll see some challenges," Gonzalez said. "Our goal is to be competitive."
The Lady Bulldogs face either Laveen Fairfax (2-1) or Phoenix Xavier (3-2) in the second round Friday, and meet Peoria Sunrise Mountain, Peoria Cactus, Surprise Valley Vista or Deer Valley Saturday.
"It's a competitive tournament, and I just want us to be in a position to win," Gonzalez said. "I want us to show them who we are."
KHS hosts Phoenix Goldwater (1-2) at 7 p.m. Monday to open Northwest Region action.
