NORWOOD — Following a protracted layoff, it may be tough to get again into the swing of issues.
Taking part in simply its third recreation of the season, Norwood’s women basketball staff wanted no time to search out its groove.
Sophomore standout Ellen Baranowski registered a double-double (18 factors, 10 rebounds) whereas junior Lillianna Cordani dropped 17 factors because the Mustangs remained good Saturday with a decisive 62-33 residence win over Bridgewater-Raynham.
Trying to set the tone early, the Mustangs (3-0) opted to show to a full-court press proper out of the gate. The Trojans (2-4) had been flustered and struggled to search out an offensive tempo. Norwood instantly constructed a 10-point lead in brief order, as junior ahead Raegan Curran drilled a 3 to offer the Mustangs a 15-5 benefit simply 4:35 into play.
“We play higher after we’re up-tempo proper from the beginning,” Norwood coach Kristen McDonnell stated. “It simply will get us in a rhythm, and that’s simply form of the identify of our recreation, simply being gritty and getting after it from the beginning. I give our staff plenty of credit score, as a result of we had it appeared like 20 practices in a row with out a recreation. So, they actually push one another each day, and I feel that’s a credit score to what they convey in apply each day.”
When Bridgewater-Raynham began to hit photographs offensively as the primary half wore on, Norwood turned to Cordani for a solution. The junior guard caught hearth from the sector herself, tallying 12 factors over the primary two quarters because the Mustangs constructed a 33-20 lead on the break.
“Me and Ellen, we work very well with one another,” Cordani stated. “Nevertheless it’s not simply us on the market. It’s all of our different teammates. After they hit huge photographs, it will get all people actually excited, into the sport and able to play.”
Because the second half acquired underway, Bridgewater-Raynham tried to take Cordani out of the sport. Even with extra strain defensively, the Trojans surrendered a fast 6-0 run to the Mustangs to start the third quarter. Then, Baranowski discovered a second gear and determined to take issues over. The sophomore ahead registered eight factors within the body alone, serving to her staff construct a convincing 50-30 lead getting into the ultimate stanza. Norwood would coast from that time on.
“We actually needed to ship a message to all the opposite groups within the league, saying, ‘We’re right here, we need to beat you and we need to be the most effective,’” Baranowski stated. “I feel popping out robust in our first few video games confirmed them that we’re able to play them.”
Camden Strandberg paced Bridgewater-Raynham with 12 factors to go together with seven rebounds.
The schedule ramps up for Norwood beginning this week because the Mustangs enter Tri-Valley League play. It received’t get any simpler in any respect, although, as they are going to make a visit to tackle an archrival and one of many state’s greatest in Medfield this Monday.
“I feel we simply want to remain actually aggressive and be prepared,” Cordani stated. “Not take our foot off the gasoline. We have to maintain pushing one another in video games and in apply, and at all times be 100% able to go. We are able to’t let it get to our heads that we’re 3-0. Simply proceed to play, and play robust and onerous.”
