Staff writer
The Hillsboro High School girls’ basketball team expected to play a competitive game against Pratt Friday in Hillsboro.
The first quarter score, 9-6 Hillsboro, indicated they were right.
That was until the Trojans pulled away with a 21-point second quarter to leave the Greenbacks in the dust. After a corner 3-pointer from Stonie Fleming, Hillsboro rattled off a 14-0 run. Addie Lackey, Tena Loewen, and Danae Bina wreaked havoc at midcourt to force steals and then convert layups.
The Trojans could sense Pratt’s frustrations in the game. The Greenbacks went to a 1-3-1 zone and then a 2-3 with the guards stacked. The defensive adjustments did not make much difference as Hillsboro won that quarter, 14-8.
“They were irritated with each other,” Bina said. “It was comical actually.”
Bina has become a stone-cold scorer for Hillsboro. She had 18 on Friday to lead all scorers. A bevy of her points came on mid-range, pull-up jump shots, showcasing her unique one-handed shooting stroke. She sprinkled in a few layups and a couple threes, too.
“A lot of those shots were relaxed, in rhythm,” head coach Nathan Hiebert said.
Hiebert attributed Bina’s improved scoring prowess to her work after practices with Lackey.
“She does not want this season to end in third place,” Hiebert said.
If Bina can continue this high scoring output, scoring in double figures every game this season, she takes pressure off the Trojans other top scoring options, Lackey and Loewen. Loewen had 11 points and 5 rebounds on Friday. Lackey had 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.
The Hillsboro offense clicked from the second quarter on. The Trojans shot 53 percent from the floor in the second quarter and 60 percent in the third, only a 3-for-17 first period dragged down the field goal percentage to 42.8 percent.
“Our chemistry was really good tonight,” Bina said.
Funny thing, as a point guard, Bina led the team in rebounds, with eight. She had two steals, but she likely caused a few of Pratt’s 21 turnovers with full-court pressure.
“I love guarding other people’s point guards,” Bina said.
Although Hiebert was pleased with the Trojans pressure defense, he also wanted to give credit to Erin Winter and Christina Morris. The two Hillsboro centers guarded Pratt’s 6-foot-3 center Payton Hoeme. Hoeme only scored two points for Pratt and only snagged four rebounds. The Trojans dominated the glass, 33-17. Morris had six boards herself.
On a side note, Hillsboro freshman forward Alex Ratzlaff did not play Friday, sitting out the game with an injury. Hiebert said she should be out of the lineup multiple weeks.