Experienced Hampshire downs Cary-Grove
With 5 starters returning, Hampshire girls basketball coach Mike Featherly has high expectations for his Lady Whip-Purs during the 2015-2016 season.
Featherly's high hopes weren't dampened at all after Hampshire opened the season with a 63-49 win over Cary-Grove in Fox Valley Conference crossover action in Cary Monday night.
"It really helps to go into the first game of the season with so much experience," said Featherly. "Cary-Grove comes at you for 32 minutes with great pressure full court and they are very physical. I thought the girls handled their pressure very well and proved to be the better team."
Northern Michigan recruit Emma Benoit paced the Whip-Purs with 28 points, 15 rebounds and 3 assists.
"Cary-Grove beat us bad at Cary to start the season 2 years ago so we were really ready to play," said Benoit. "Having so much experience back really helps. We started the game with great intensity. We found the open girl and we really moved on defense. It was certainly an uplifting way to start the season."
Senior guard Nikki Dumoulin added 14 points with a 3-pointer and 3 assists for the winners.
Holding a tenuous 16-13 advantage after 1 quarter, the visiting Whip-Purs seized control of the game in the second and third quarters, outscoring the Trojans (0-1) 36-18.
Up 16-15 early in the second quarter, Hampshire went on a pivotal 11-0 surge. Led by 7 points from Dumoulin and a conventional 3-pointer from Benoit, the Whip-Purs extended a 1-point lead to 12, 27-15 with 4:22 left in the first half.
Hampshire led 39-24 at intermission.
The Whip-Purs made sure there wouldn't be a Trojan comeback by scoring the first 6 points of the second half on 2 baskets by Benoit and a bucket from Dumoulin and led by 21, 45-24 with 5:36 left in the third quarter.
The Trojans whittled away at Hampshire's lead and got to within 54-44 with 2:57 remaining on a 15-footer by Katie Sowa. The Trojans couldn't get any closer.
Olivia Miller, with 8 points in the fourth quarter, paced Cary-Grove with 12 points and 3 assists.
Becca Kendeigh, with a 2-for-3 effort from 3-point range, added 8 while Maddie Görz scored 7 for the Trojans.
The Trojans were hindered by 20 turnovers, 13 in the first half.
Cary-Grove coach Rod Saffert was unavailable for comment after the game.