For the Daily Journal
Typically there is not much for a coach to like about a 20-point loss, but first-year Whiteland girls basketball coach Ashley Fouch found some encouragement in her team’s showing in the third quarter and the start of fourth quarter.
After trailing Roncalli 31-10 at halftime, the host Warriors narrowed the deficit to 42-32 early in the fourth. Roncalli then used to a 14-0 spurt to pull away for a 61-41 victory Tuesday night over the Warriors.
“We need to piece together two halves,” Fouch said. “If we play like that in both halves, I think we’ll have ourselves a different game. The third-quarter run is exactly how I know the Warriors can play. They’re gritty. They’re feisty. We can knock down shots in transition. That’s exactly what I wanted them to do.
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“I’m just excited they saw that and it gave them a little bit of hope that is what they can do the entire game.”
Whiteland trailed 13-7 after the first quarter before Roncalli (6-0) took control with a 18-3 advantage in the second.
Roncalli senior guard Maddie Bischoff, who was averaging 23 points entering the game, scored 11 of her team-high 20 in the second quarter.
Juniors Gracie Taylor and Braylyn Clendenen each scored 11 to lead the Warriors (2-6).
“I was super encouraged with the way Gracie Taylor played,” Fouch said. “I haven’t seen her have a breakout game like that before since I’ve been here. She’s just really stepped up as a leader and it showed up today. I’m super appreciative of what she did on the court.”
Roncalli played 13 girls and nine scored. First-year coach Tim Gray said he was trying to play more girls.
“We’ve got a busy schedule coming up to see where our depth looked like,” he said. “We just didn’t come out as aggressive in third quarter.”
However, Gray liked what he saw during the 14-0 run.
“We’ve talked all year we want to push the basketball both ways,” Gray said. “We want to play fast. We finally got ourselves playing fast offensively and get ourselves some easy baskets. It speeds (opponents) up and forces some turnovers as well.”
Sophomore Savanna Bischoff, Maddie’s younger sister, scored 11 points and senior Abbie Carr added nine for Roncalli.
“We’re trying to see some consistency from the supporting cast offensively,” Gray said. “Sofie Carr has played well the last couple of games. She is a little banged up, so we sat her in the second half. Abbie Carr is coming off an injury and she showed signs she can help us offensively. Sydney Horton pushed the basketball for us tonight and that’s what she does best. Savanna hit some shots.”
Gray knows he will need more offensive contributions at Heritage Christian (5-2) Thursday night.
“That’s a big one, a (Circle City) conference game and probably our toughest opponent so far,” he said. “We’re trying to find depth to go against them. We know they’ll be tough. We just have to continue to get better.”
The Warriors, who have no seniors on the roster, play host to Plainfield (5-1) Friday night.
“It’s going to be a work in progress all year,” Fouch said. “I’m super hopeful we’re learning. We just have to keep on growing.”
