New-look Waubonsie treats new coach to debut win

The sound system put up a bit of interference during introductions, and the game clock took a half-minute to start.

On the court, though, new-look Waubonsie Valley sure looked in midseason form.

First-year Warrior Becky Williford had 16 points, and fellow sophomore Keiera Ray added 14 points and 10 rebounds as Waubonsie cruised past St. Joseph 65-46 in Monday's season opener for both teams in Aurora.

Waubonsie never trailed, scoring the first 7 points and opening the second quarter with a put-away 14-0 run.

"We still need work, but I think we played really well for our first game," said Ray, who also had 4 assists and 4 steals. "There's still room for improvement."

It was the first game at Waubonsie for sophomores Williford, Erica Jordan (6 points, 5 rebounds) and Rachael Ross (8 points, 7 rebounds).

All three moved over from Neuqua Valley when District 204 redrew its boundaries this past year.

But all three play AAU basketball on the Chicago Hoops Express with Ray. Count Waubonsie's leading scorer and rebounder from a year ago as one happy to have them aboard.

"We've become a stronger team," Ray said. "We have more kids that can score. It's not just one or two people."

Williford scored 9 of her game-high 16 during the decisive second quarter. A Williford score off a St. Joseph turnover, one of 9 Waubonsie forced in the second quarter, gave the Warriors a commanding 30-12 lead midway through.

"The transition was hard from Neuqua," Williford said, "but we have good chemistry on this team. We picked up our defensive intensity. We were ready tonight."

A fifth Waubonsie sophomore, returning starter Tami Morice, scored 10 points and Tanysha Walls 8. The Warriors outrebounded St. Joseph to the tune of 51-26, making first-year coach Kim Connell a winner in her Waubonsie debut.

"We controlled the tempo," Connell said.

"We had some rough spots, but that will come with experience, especially starting four sophomores and a junior."

Dee Gray, who has signed with Division I Winthrop, led St. Joseph with 11 points and 7 rebounds. Shannika Bryant, a 6-foot-4 senior committed to Wichita State, added 7 points.

"They were the aggressors the whole way," Chargers coach Jim Maley said. "We just didn't look like we were in shape to play basketball."