Scarcely mentioned when discussing Franklin’s memorable 2020-21 girls basketball season is the 15-point home loss the Grizzly Cubs endured at the hands of Zionsville.
That’s not to suggest the players didn’t remember.
On Wednesday afternoon, a similar scenario unfolded at the Walt Raines Classic, only this time a Cubs-Eagles get together was in the championship game, not a first-round battle as was the case a year ago.
Franklin, undefeated and ranked second in Class 4A, exacted a measure of revenge with a 65-48 victory.
“We’re way more experienced, and I think we all had a chip on our shoulder from last year,” said Grizzly Cubs senior guard Kuryn Brunson, who led her team with 24 points. “We kind of got beat up on our own court, so I think we all had that in the back of our minds.”
The game was close throughout the first half with Franklin clinging to a 28-25 lead going into the third quarter. A hoop in transition by smooth Eagles junior post Laila Hull at 5:53 of the third tied the score at 31-31, but then the Grizzly Cubs did what the Grizzly Cubs do and began quickly creating scoreboard separation with their perimeter shooting.
Starting with Erica Buening’s baseline trey with 5:27 showing in the third, Franklin assembled a 24-4 scoring run on the strength of 3s from, in order, Scarlett Kimbrell, Brunson, Adelyn Walker, Lauren Klem and Brunson for a second time.
“We’re kind of known for our shooting. Our saying is water will find its level,” Cubs coach Josh Sabol said after watching his squad improve to 16-0 entering next week’s Hall of Fame Classic in New Castle. “We don’t get tight. We don’t second-guess. We catch and shoot.
“For us, we really pride ourselves on getting extra possessions whether it’s off the press or it’s off offensive rebounds. We feel like the more shots that we get, especially from 3, the better.”
Zionsville (10-5), which was led by Hull’s game-high 26 points and 11 rebounds, began to press fullcourt with 4:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. The move created some Franklin turnovers and easy baskets for the Eagles, though the Grizzly Cubs adjusted and began knocking down free throws at the end.
Brunson was Franklin’s lone double-digit scorer; Traylor, Kimbrell and Klem were close with eight points each with Buening adding seven. Traylor led the team on the glass with nine boards.
The Grizzly Cubs finished the game making 11 of 24 from beyond the three-point arc, four courtesy of Brunson. In all, six Franklin players connected from long range. Zionsville, which turned the ball over 25 times to the Cubs’ 10, received a 13-point effort from sophomore guard Allie Caldwell.
“We knew from the beginning this was going to be a rock fight,” Sabol said. “Zionsville is one of the best teams in the state.”
Which makes the Eagles the ideal tune-up for the Hall of Fame Classic, scheduled for December 29 at Chrysler Fieldhouse.
Franklin faces Class 4A No. 8 Westfield at 11 a.m. with the second game featuring a pair of 3A powers in top-ranked South Bend Washington and No. 7 Washington.
“We’re definitely looking forward to it,” Brunson said. “It will get us more experience before we start our tournament run and we’ll go against good teams and get good matchups. I think it’s the competition that we need.”
