If Friday night’s game at Salinas proved anything to Gilroy
High’s girls basketball team, it’s that the Mustangs should never
count themselves out of a game.
Down 21-5 at one point in the first half, Gilroy trimmed the
deficit to 21-12 at halftime before putting on a clinic in the
second half to win 47-36.
SALINAS – If Friday night’s game at Salinas proved anything to Gilroy High’s girls basketball team, it’s that the Mustangs should never count themselves out of a game.
Down 21-5 at one point in the first half, Gilroy trimmed the deficit to 21-12 at halftime before putting on a clinic in the second half to win 47-36.
“We just ran. They were out of shape and we ran past them” Gilroy coach Susan Shapiro said. “It was pretty awesome.”
Using a half-court 2-2-1 trap in the second half, the Mustangs converted turnovers into buckets to win the third quarter 22-7 and fourth quarter 13-8.
Chelsea Hill led Gilroy with 13 points and 16 rebounds, while center Laura Steele was equally effective on the glass, grabbing 15 rebounds to go with six points.
Sovi Nou scored 13 while limiting Salinas’ leading scorer, Rochelle Welsh, to 12 points.
Gilroy also got key contributions off the bench.
“The spark of the night was Kristen Costa,” Shapiro said. “She just became that pesky player and they didn’t know what to do with her.”
Costa scored six points and also snatched seven steals.
“This is giving the girls the confidence they needed for upcoming games because they need this,” Shapiro said, adding that her experience with many of the GHS players as a club coach can’t be underestimated. “We don’t count these girls out because we’ve been with these girls so long. They never cease to amaze us.
“To be 2-0 (in the Tri-County Athletic League), for a team that is young as we are, is a huge accomplishment.”
Gilroy (10-4 overall, 2-0 TCAL) will next play Monday at 7 p.m. at Alvarez (4-11, 0-2).
