Greyhounds women’s basketball team falls to Bearcats 53-34
Harrington overcomes early struggles to lead Bearcats
– On Tuesday night, in a crosstown matchup, the Paso Robles High School women’s basketball team traveled to Atascadero High School to face off against the Greyhounds, beating the Hounds 53-34 with well-coordinated ball movement and a strong presence in the paint.
Junior guard Kate Harrington was instrumental in the Bearcat’s overall success tonight. Harrington ended the night with 20 points after struggling to connect with the basket early in the game. Despite the early struggle to land her shots, Harrington eventually found her rhythm, contributing key points and energizing her team with a determined performance on both ends of the court. “I try to stay consistent,” Harrington said. “I know eventually [my shots] are going to start falling, and I hope that continues to happen. Eventually, I’ll start making more and more.”
Team chemistry drives success on the court
After the Bearcats struggled this past weekend in the Mullahey Holiday Classic tournament to find their post players and deliver passes into the paint, they turned their game around tonight, effectively connecting with their post players for easy points near the basket. The Bearcats’ pick-and-roll game was on point tonight, cutting to the back door to get fed clean passes, which they used to their advantage to stay on top of the Greyhounds.
Ball movement from the perimeter to find their open players was crucial in their win as it created easy scoring opportunities and stretched the defense, allowing for better execution inside the paint. Junior center Genesis Gavilanes did her job well off the glass tonight, establishing a strong presence inside the paint, ready for rebounds on both offense and defense. Second-chance opportunities allowed her to help her team capitalize on missed shots and maintain offensive pressure. Gavilanes ended the night recording 10 points, which she acquired with her put-back shots and attacks in the paint, capitalizing on close-range opportunities.
Paso Robles outscored Atascadero 19-5 in the second quarter after only being up 11-7 at the end of the opening quarter. “We definitely have good chemistry,” Harrington said. “We read each other well and are all friends on and off the court, which definitely helps with our play on the court.”
Stronger defensive pressure moving forward
The Greyhounds attempted to mount a comeback after emerging from the locker room to start the second half. Their momentum shifted, and they ultimately outscored the Bearcats 13-11 in the third quarter. Three-point shooting from the Greyhounds, coupled with a lack of defensive discipline from the Bearcats, fueled their comeback effort.
Going into the final quarter of the game, head coach Mark Martinez emphasized the need to apply better defensive pressure on the ball, so the Bearcats implemented a full-court press to disrupt the Greyhounds’ offensive flow. “We have to keep the defender in front of and take away their drives,” Martinez said. “It’s not quite there yet, but it’s a work in progress.” This matchup is not the only time these two teams will face one another.
When the league season begins in January, the Bearcats and Greyhounds will clash once more, looking to make adjustments after their early-season encounter. Looking forward, the Bearcats will compete in the Ruth Doser Tournament on Dec. 12-14 in Atascadero, aiming to keep their win streak alive.
-By Joslen Jimenez
