RIVERVIEW — For most high school basketball teams, the long holiday break in December prior to the new calendar year is often a welcomed one. With that, however, comes a natural concern of having to shake off rust.
Both the Taylor and Riverview Gabriel Richard girls hoops teams had to deal with that issue when they squared off in a non-league battle on Monday at Richard.In was the first contest for both clubs since before Christmas, Richard head coach Thomas Fasca was candid in his thoughts on how his team would respond after being off for more than two weeks from live game action.
“Yeah it was a big concern. The way we came out tonight, it wasn’t strong. Coming off a two-week break and only practicing a couple of times around the holidays, we didn’t know what we would see.
“But they really answered the call and battled back.”
Fasca and Richard answered the call when it mattered most. And although it wasn’t the strongest of finishes, the Pioneers were able to hold off a late rally from Taylor and secure a 33-29 victory.
It’s the second win in as many head-to-head meetings for Richard, who defeated Taylor on the road last season by a final of 35-30. The rematch was equally tightly-contested and one where the Pioneers recorded just one made basket in the fourth quarter.
It’s an erratic trend that Fasca is trying to smooth out some but he was encouraged with how his team buckled down late.
“That’s been a big story for us. Sometimes we’ll score in spurts. Other times, we’ll have quarters where we can’t seem to make anything. One thing we always talk about though is being resilient at the end of games. In the past, we’ve lost these types of games, where it is close.
“The fact that we were able to handle the pressure and still give ourselves a chance to win was pretty important.”
The late pressure that Richard handle from Taylor came after the Pioneers took a lead late in the third quarter. It was the eighth different lead change of the game overall and came in response of the Griffins putting together a 10-0 spurt that began in the waning moments in the first half.
In addition to the eight lead changes, the score was tied on three different occasions and the largest lead for either side at any point was six points.
The fourth quarter was a struggle offensively as both teams combined for just five points.
Taylor trimmed what was a five-point deficit going into the fourth down to within a bucket, but could not cash in any other chances. Richard’s only insurance basket in the final stanza came with under three minutes to go.
“I thought we had some good opportunities and good looks,” Taylor head coach Chad Putnam said. “We just didn’t finish enough of them. Simone Hatch was again what we she needs to do for us. If we can continue to get that out of her and get some of the other players to complement that, I think we have something to work with.”
To Putnam’s point, Simone Hatch was huge factor all evening long, particularly in the first half. The senior scored 13 of Taylor’s 16 first-half points and finished with a game-high 19 points overall.
Considering it had been nearly three whole weeks since his Griffins last played on Dec 16, Putnam was pleased with the “energy and intensity” his team put forth on Monday.
“I thought for the rest we had, we played about as good as we could have played,” Putnam said. “There was a couple little things, missed a lay-up here or there, and some free throws I’m sure we missed. Credit to Richard, they made big shots when they had to.
“I think it’s a much better performance tonight than any of the first three games of the season,” Putnam added. “I think that was our best 32 minutes of basketball.”
Richard got a team-best 13 points from Mia Panlasigue. The senior in many ways took over the game late as she tallied 10 points after halftime and was responsible for three of the team’s five made three-pointers.
Fasca also gave credit to another senior in Kristen Tran, who scored five of her six points in that big third quarter for the Pioneers. Sophomore Peyton Leidel chipped in with eight points, all coming in the first half.
Hatch aside, Taylor in the loss got four points each from junior Angel Hill and freshman Layla Talley-Glenn. The former scored her points after halftime, including the Griffins’ lone made triple.
UP NEXT
It’s a busy return from the holidays for both Richard and Taylor as Monday was the first of three games scheduled this week for each side.
Richard (3-2) has a quick turnaround with a trip to local foe Gibraltar Carlson on Tuesday, Jan 6. They then return home to begin Catholic League play vs Clarkston Everest Collegiate on Jan 8. Now with the rust shaken off, Fasca is happy to be begin in a more traditional routine.
“That’s what we talked about. We’re finally back in game mode,” Fasca said. “From January until March, it is two or three games every week. We’re constantly in prep mode and getting ready for the (Catholic League).”
Taylor (0-4) has two more non-league games this week, both at home. They will host Ypsilanti on Jan 7 before inviting in Allen Park Cabrini on Jan 9. Like his counterpart, Putnam is looking forward to resuming a normal regiment.
“That’s going to be important,” Putnam said. “You get the kids back in school and back into a regular pattern of what we do, with regular practice times. It’s about 57 days until districts and we got 18 more of these, so we’ll be playing a ball game on average about every three days.”
Photo gallery of Taylor vs Riverview Gabriel Richard in non-conference girls hoops action
