VANCOUVER – The Thunderbirds improved their record to 2-0 on the young Canada West season thanks to a defensive clinic, earning a 75-50 victory over the Lethbridge Pronghorns to wrap-up the home-opening, weekend series at War Memorial Gym on Saturday afternoon.
In the second game of the weekend,
Mona Berlitz once again led the charge for the squad with 20 points, nine rebounds, and four steals.
Kiarra Kelly added another 12 points from the bench, while
Cerys Merton had seven points and seven steals.
The Pronghorns were led by Kyra Collier with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Tobore Okome added 10 points and seven rebounds.
The Thunderbirds came back to where they left off in Friday night's action. Right from the start, the full-court press was causing problems for the visitors. Merton,
Emilia Banmann and Berlitz showed active hands to get quick steals and points in transition. The trio combined for eight total steals in the first half.
For the visitors, Okome picked up two early fouls in the first quarter, sending her to the bench, which stalled the Pronghorns' offence, but in the second, she made her presence felt once again. The 'Horns fed Okome inside, and she did not disappoint as she scored an and-one layup and fed Collier for an open three to keep the squad within 5, 23-18.
The 'Birds would respond with defensive pressure that would help increase their lead once again. Merton added two quick steals to score two easy layups in transition, as the 'Birds continued to push and extended the lead to 39-25 to sum up the first half.
The second half started with Collier having a quick hot streak. She knocked down a triple and a layup, but that was short-lived, as the Thunderbirds went right back into lockdown mode. The pressure turned into steals and into successful offence.
The offensive play allowed the T-Birds to get open looks both from the inside and the outside, setting up
Kiarra Kelly for open opportunities from beyond the arc. She finished with three triples, while Berlitz took advantage of the paint.
But they weren't the only ones, as the duo of
Stella Lagrange and Banmann converted back-to-back drive and dump opportunities to keep the game within 14 points, 45-31. Later, the home squad continued to push the lead to make the game out of reach for the opposition.
The T-Birds' defensive pressure forced 40 Pronghorns' turnovers, which they turned into offence as everyone contributed on the scoreboard, finding the forwards on dribble-drive penetrations, but head coach Isabel Ormond isn't satisfied.
"I'm happy, but we have a lot of work to do," said Ormond. "I think if we can keep teams to 50 points scored or under, that'd be great – the 40 turnovers are really exciting, the 26 steals are really exciting – but for us, we are looking to keep teams lower."
The Pronghorns will next host UBC Okanagan for their home opener next weekend, while the Thunderbirds will pay a visit to the University of Winnipeg Wesmen for games beginning next Friday November, 10
th.
