The Abilene Wylie Lady Bulldogs used a strong start to build a decent lead and not look back in their 50-27 win over Odessa High Tuesday night in the early stages of the season.
Both teams were playing their second game of the season and the Lady Bulldogs improved to 2-0 while the Lady Bronchos fell to 0-2.
The Lady Bulldogs built a 19-11 lead and used a 15-8 surge in the third quarter to further distance themselves from the Lady Bronchos and remain perfect early in the season.
Despite that, Wylie head coach Dune Hopper thought his team could’ve done better.
“I thought we played sloppy, offensively,” I think defensively, we played well for the most part, except blocking out.”
Wylie’s Joyah Maroney led the team in scoring with 13 points while Camri Travis had seven and Kyla Kelley had six.
The Lady Bronchos were led in scoring by Donajah Watkins’ eight points while Cloe Navarro had seven and Jadah Briones finished with six.
A 3-pointer by Alexis Lacroix gave the Bulldogs an 8-4 lead with 5:22 left in the first quarter.
Transition baskets helped Abilene Wylie to an eight-point lead at the end of the quarter.
The shooting would go cold for the Lady Bronchos in the second quarter as the team went the entire frame without scoring a basket.
However, the Bulldogs weren’t much better, shooting-wise, during the quarter as the they managed only a 4-0 run five minutes into the second, expanding their lead to 12.
An inside shot by Wylie’s Kiarra Maxwell Gutierrez made it 25-11 and a timeout was called with 2:52 left in the quarter.
Odessa High’s shooting woes continued to the end of the quarter and Wylie took a 25-11 halftime lead.
Wylie began the third quarter on an 10-0 run, capped off by consecutive baskets from Travis before Odessa High called a timeout with 4:59 left.
“We just took some good shots and then we took some better shots,” Hopper said. “I think we settled a little bit. I thought we had some good looks. We were just able to put the shots in for the most part.”
The Lady Bronchos’ scoring drought may have ended in the third but they still struggled to get shots to fall in.
Odessa High’s Jaquelyn Parra made an inside shot to make it 38-15 with under four minutes remaining.
Navarro got a basket and a foul and managed to complete the three-point play, bringing the Lady Bronchos to a 42-20 deficit heading into the fourth quarter.
The Lady Bronchos started to show more life on offense to begin the fourth quarter, going on a 7-2 run which included a 3-pointer from Briones.
Wylie would go on to win comfortably, 50-27
However, with it still being early in the season, Hopper said his team has been trying to find a rotation.
“We’re trying to get girls in that we haven’t seen on varsity,” Hopper said. “We know we have a good group coming back and we’re just trying to add to that group.”
Wylie’s other victory this season was a 40-21 win over Midland Legacy last Friday in Midland.
Odessa High lost in last week’s season opener to Abilene Cooper in a 56-34 contest Friday on the road.
