It might have been Catherine Buddenberg’s defense.
It may have been the assists.
Or it could’ve been her scoring from near and far.
What was certain Friday, Dixie Heights’ senior guard’s 31 points were the main reason the Colonels knocked off Notre Dame, 68-55.
Buddenberg said playing defense was most satisfying.
“I can have games where I score two points, but the defense is what I’m most happy about,” she said. “I also don’t even care if I don’t play good – as long as my team plays good defense, good offense, that is when I’m satisfied.”
Dixie coach Joel Steczynski praised Buddenberg’s fearlessness.
“Catherine is aggressive and fearless,” Steczynski said. “She can be a dominant player like she was (Friday), but again, she doesn’t grade her performance on how many points she scores.”
Buddenberg’s scoring was not the sole reason Dixie won its fourth straight and improved to 6-4. Asia Carner added 14 points, and Coralee Pelfrey added 10.
Notre Dame and Dixie met once this season, and the Pandas survived a Dec. 13 scare at Bellevue – they needed every one of Emma Holtzapfel’s 25 points and Amelia Stallard’s 14 in the 60-58 win. Friday was a different story – Holtzapfel had just three points, and Stallard had six.
Pelfrey said the loss wasn’t a hot topic this week.
“Yes and no,” she said. “We talked more about what we were going for this game. We left that game in the past because we knew we could beat this team.”
Dixie (6-4) had not played since a 68-52 win over Ryle on Dec. 21. Colonels coach Joel Steczynski said simply having 13 days to prepare for the Pandas was a factor.
It didn’t take long for Dixie – especially Buddenberg – to befuddle Notre Dame’s defense.
Less than a minute in, Buddenberg found Pelfrey for a left corner 3, and after Carner’s steal and runout layup, knocked down a left-wing 3.
Notre Dame didn’t score until Addie Lawrie’s 3 with 5:25 left in the first, and the Pandas had only one more field goal, Stallard’s 3 with 3:21 left.
Another of Notre Dame’s problems was its top-of-the-key passing. Buddenberg took advantage – two steals, two layups – and an 18-9 Dixie lead after one quarter.
Buddenberg’s eight points and Carner’s and-1 in a little more than three minutes of the second quarter put Dixie ahead, 29-10.
Notre Dame coach Kes Murphy was unavailable for comment.
After Notre Dame (8-2) closed to within 49-40 on Maya Lawrie’s bucket 30 seconds into the fourth quarter, Dixie unfurled an 11-1 run. It was an example of the 5-foot-6 Buddenberg’s and 5-3 Carner’s willingness to challenge the Pandas’ 6-3 Sophia Gibson – each drove for a layup.
Dixie hosts Ryle at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Notre Dame meets Simon Kenton at 7:30 p.m. Monday in Independence.
COLONELS 68, PANDAS 55
NOTRE DAME — 9-11-18-17 – 55
DIXIE HEIGHTS — 18-17-14-19 – 68
Notre Dame (55) — Stallard 6, M. McGraw 8, Young 6, Holtzapfel 3, A. Lawrie 4, M. Lawrie 9, Burden 1, LaBordeaux-Humphrey 5, Eberhard 2, E. McGraw 2, Gibson 9. 3-Pt. FG: 3 (Stallard 2, Holtzapfel). FT: 11-18. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: None.
Dixie Heights (68) — Carner 14, Gibson 2, Pelfrey 10, Elkins 4, Buddenberg 31, Crawford 7. 3-Pt. FG: 5 (Pelfrey 2, Buddenberg 2, Carner). FT: 13-15. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None. Records: Notre Dame 8-2, Dixie Heights 6-4.