Burlington Central 51, North Boone 39

Melanie Laird and Corey Bazany worked well together. For that matter, all the Burlington Central girls basketball team did as the Rockets downed North Boone, 51-39, Friday night on Rocket Hill.

Laird scored 22 points and Bazany contributed 15 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists as the Rockets prevailed in Big Northern Conference action in Burlington.

Often assisting each other, Laird and Bazany scored 10 of the Rockets' 12 points in the second quarter. That's when the Rockets broke the game open by outscoring the Vikings 12-2.

Briana Conran added 6 points and 8 rebounds, and Jordan Maisto scored 6 points on a pair of first-quarter 3-pointers for the Rockets.

Laird also grabbed 7 rebounds, and Taylor Colby had 5 as the Rockets (11-4, 2-0) out-rebounded the visitors from Poplar Grove, 35-20.

"I think our team chemistry is really, really good right now," said Burlington coach Darlene Guyett. "It showed again here on the court tonight. The kids are playing real well together."

The Rockets opened their biggest lead of the game at 43-20 on a Conran putback late in the third quarter before the Vikings (6-5, 1-1) staged a mild rally. They closed the game on a 10-4 run, but never seriously threatened.

Ashley Mulholland scored 7 first-quarter points to keep the Vikings close. But she left the game in the second quarter after apparently hitting her head on the floor in a scramble for the ball. She returned in the second half but scored just 2 more points. Nikki Goeddeke came off the bench to lead North Boone with 11 points.

"Our defensive effort (was key)," said Guyett. "The kids came out early in the third, got some defensive stops early and set the tone."

After scoring the last 8 points of the first half, the Rockets scored 6 more in a row after intermission. After Cara Crull's 3-pointer stopped the Rockets' run at 14, Central proceeded to score 6 more in a row before the Vikings began to find the range.