The size, depth and length of the Cooper Jaguars girls basketball team (3-2, 1-0) will be talked about a lot this season.
The Jaguars showed why opening 33rd District seed action with a convincing 62-39 road victory over the Conner Cougars (3-4, 0-1) using those strengths to pull away at halftime. Cooper led 34-20 at halftime and 50-27 entering the fourth quarter.
Both teams like to work the ball inside and out. But Cooper limited the Conner penetration and the Cougars made just three triples so they could not open up driving lanes among other things.
Conner junior point guard Anna Hamilton came into the game averaging 14 points per game and senior forward Juliet Strange averaging 12.5. Strange finished with 12 and Hamilton had 10.
“Anna is one heck of a player, a great athlete,” said Justin Holthaus, Cooper head coach. “She was one of our defensive focuses. Our girls responded well. Anytime you play in the 33rd District, it’s going to be a battle.”
Conner head coach Michelle Gambrel came to the game but had to sit off to the side and not coach in this one. Her family has a history of heart issues and she’s scheduled to receive a second stint in her heart so doctors told her to avoid stressful situations. But she hopes to be back coaching soon.
“Cooper is a very good team. They do a great job running their stuff,” Gambrel said. “We have a lot of experienced players mixed in with younger players. We’re still trying to figure things out. December and January is the time to do that. Christmas is when we started our 17-game winning streak last year.”
Cooper had nine different players score. Eighth grade guard Haylee Noel led the way with 10 points, scoring eight points in the fourth quarter on two three-pointers.
“You just have to be ready to shoot every time you catch it so I get down, catch it and try to hit the three,” Noel said. “Our family is great. It’s a good group of girls.”
No other player scored in double figures. But senior forward Whitney Lind scored nine points with senior guard Kay Freihofer, junior forward Logan Palmer, junior guard Liz Freihofer and junior forward Bella Deere scoring eight points each. Kay Freihofer left the game at the end of the first half after appearing to reaggravate her right shoulder.
Junior guard Damysia Knox played her fifth game for the Jaguars. She scored five points including hustling down the floor with less than 4.6 seconds left to hit a layup in the first quarter to put Cooper up 20-13.
“Defense wins games for the most part,” Knox said. “I’m getting things down. It’s new. But I’m part of a good team so I’m trusting my teammates and they trust me.”
Conner enjoyed two leads in the first quarter. Hamilton made a three to put the Cougars up 5-4 with 5:40 left in the first quarter before Strange made two free throws. After Liz Freihofer put Cooper back ahead with a three, senior guard Kelsee Simpson hit two free throws and Strange scored to put Conner up 11-8. But Cooper responded with a 12-2 run to go ahead for good. Liz Freihofer recorded a steal, scored, drew the foul and converted the three-point play with 1:58 left to give Cooper a 13-11 lead.
Both teams return to action on Saturday. Cooper plays host to Montgomery County at 4:30 p.m. and Conner plays at Mason County at 6 p.m.
Other Scores
Simon Kenton 60, Walton-Verona 56
Ryle 76, Boone County 19
Bracken County 63, Villa Madonna 27
Ludlow 54, Dayton 47
Holmes 68, Covington Latin 7
Holy Cross 57, Scott 49
Grant County 58, Lloyd Memorial 41
St. Henry 45, Pendleton County 40