“They’re very talented,” said Knights coach Lonnie Robinson. “We haven’t seen that type of pressure all year, which was good for us. We made steps in the second half to take care of that. They’ve got a good team, really good players. They hit a bunch of shots today. They hit shot after shot and they didn’t stop.”
Greenon junior Abby West scored a team-high 14 points for the Knights, which finished their season 22-4. It was the program’s first district final appearance since 1984.
“It was a huge step for our program,” Robinson said. “I can’t be more proud of our kids. From Day 1, they bought in. They love each other and they’re friends. It’s huge for our program. We’re going to keep taking steps forward, get here again and take another step forward.”
Sophomore Jayda Mosley scored 14 points, freshman Trinity Small had 12 and senior Jermyrha Behanan as the Cavaliers won their fourth straight district title. Purcell Marian won a regional championship last winter, falling to eventual state champion Berlin Hiland in the state semifinals.
The Cavaliers used stifling pressure defense throughout the game, forcing turnovers that led to easy baskets in transition. They led 21-7 after the first period and 50-16 at the half.
“We went into the game knowing we had to play uptempo and not get into sets,” Robinson said. “We had to have more playmakers and we didn’t get that early. As we settled down, we kind of figured out how to beat their pressure. We knew it was going to be like that. It’s a growing step for us for sure.”
Alexander scored all 24 of her points in the first half and was a huge presence defensively in the paint, blocking several layups and 3-point shots.
“She took over early on those runouts and we didn’t have an answer for that,” Robinson said. “We knew what kind of player she was and she’s going to be stellar for three more years and she’s not even done this year. She’s a really good player.”
The Knights will return all but one player next season, graduating senior Morgan Paulus, who Robinson said was a great leader for the team this winter.
“She stepped up all year from the beginning,” Robinson said. “I couldn’t be more of what she’s done and the leadership she’s shown.”
The loss will motivate the program heading into next season, Robinson said.
“It stung,” Robinson said. “It wasn’t what we thought it was going to be obviously. I thought we were as prepared as we could be after a full week of practice. It’ll be a motivator for sure. They’re going to see that score 73-37 and it’s going to be in the back of their minds. It’ll motivate them. Our kids are very smart kids and they understand the situation. They’ll want to be back to this game again.”
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