After a loss to Canada, Louisville (representing USA) wanted to close out their group stage at GLOBL JAM on a high note, and did just that as they dominated BAL Select Women in a 72-39 win on Saturday.
Defensively holding BAL Select to just four points in the first quarter, Sydney Taylor once again started to lead Louisville offensively with five points, but the whole team found a flow early as Hennie Van Schaik added another five and Nyla Harris added four.
“We’ve gotten five new transfers, and only four returning players, so we started practicing and the chemistry has always been there, there’s something really special about our team,” said Van Schaik.
“We played like we’ve been together for two years, instead we had like 10 practices before coming here, so I think there’s something special about us.”
Merissah Russell was the main facilitator for Louisville, moving the ball to create open shots against a lengthy and athletic BAL Select team who challenged Olivia Cochran in the paint.
Making just one of ten shots in the first quarter as Louisville forced longer-range attempts for BAL Select, Divine Dibula was the only player to tip in two points for the team, with Awa Fane and Yara Hussein each adding a basket from the foul line.
Van Schaik continued to dominate offensively for Louisville, adding eight points to her tally to score 13 by the half, contributing half of the team’s 16 points in the second quarter.
“It’s important to be physical, that’s something I struggled with in the first two games, I just kin d of let it come at me, and now I’ve just decided that whenever I come in the game, I start making the first hit instead of receiving it,” said Van Schaik.
BAL Select started to find ways around Louisville and make more shots, tipping in 11 points in the quarter, with Jane Asinde adding five points for the team as they controlled the boards defensively to keep Louisville to just four second chance points with Fatou Diakite a force on the glass.
Russell and Kiki Jefferson continued to impact Louisville on the floor as they played strong defensively as well as getting the open shot for their team to lead by 20 at the half.
Jefferson added five points offensively in the third quarter as the full-team effort from Louisville continued as four different players grabbed four rebounds and six different players had added four or more points.
Five points from Aicha Dia drove BAL Select’s offence as they forced turnovers from Louisville that resulted in six of BAL Select’s points in the quarter with Diakite also getting those second chances on the offensive glass.
Yet Louisville kept their healthy lead as they boxed out to out-rebound their opponent as well as continued to move the ball while getting into BAL Select’s passing lanes and getting 19 steals through three quarters.
USA would get their largest lead of the game in the fourth quarter of 33 points, as Russell continued to push and drive the paint against a long and athletic BAL Select team that saw her score four points in the quarter.
Taylor, Van Schaik and Jefferson continued to roll for Louisville in the final frame of action as Asinde and Dia did the same for BAL Select, but it was not enough as they turned the ball over 32 times against Louisville.
Louisville will look to avenge their loss to Canada and take home GLOBL JAM gold while BAL Select will face off against Puerto Rico once again in the bronze medal game.
“We took today as, ‘Come on, we’ve got to go hard’, so that we could prepare for Canada,” said Van Schaik.
from Sportsnet.ca
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