Glendale Adventist girls’ basketball gets defensive against St. Monica
GLENDALE — Paced by a defense that helped cause 30 turnovers, the Glendale Adventist Academy girls’ basketball team surged in the second half and left St. Monica Academy behind, earning a 41-26 victory at home.
The Cougars (2-5) have been bolstered by some volleyball players who have come out for basketball. The school’s volleyball team won a CIF Southern Section Division IX championship and advanced to the CIF State Division V Southern California Regional Championship.
One of those players is freshman Elyse Knipschild, who paced Glendale Adventist with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
“The same drive that I have in volleyball is what I try to have in basketball, as well,” said Knipschild, who earned All-CIF honors in volleyball. “It’s just something that I have inside of me and I just love to compete. It’s a drive that I have that I always want to be competitive.”
The Cougars also received nine points from Isabel Salvador and six points, nine rebounds and two steals from another member of the volleyball title team Paige Singleton.
The teams played through a close first quarter, with St. Monica holding a 10-8 advantage.
A basket by Chelsea Ng (six points) with 4:51 left in the second half gave the Cougars a lead they would never relinquish, 12-10. Glendale Adventist ended the first half ahead by three, 17-14. The Crusaders shot just two-of-11 from the floor in the second.
“The main thing we can teach the girls is defense,” said Cougars coach Miles Alexander, whose squad had no problem breaking the St. Monica pressure defense. “Some of the girls can’t shoot all that well and some of them can’t do certain things, but all of them can play good defense.
“This team is all about sharing and they move the ball around to one another very well. …It’s a good group.”
Glendale Adventist began to pull away in the third quarter, outscoring St. Monica, 11-6, to increase its advantage to 28-20 after three.
With the help of eight points by Knipschild in the fourth quarter, the Cougars enjoyed a 16-point lead, 39-22, with 2:34 remaining.
Kristina Turicchi, Elizabeth McCall (seven rebounds) and Karinna Turicchi had six points each for St. Monica (11-4).
“I think the focus for us was a little bit off,” St. Monica coach Owen Keenan said. “Sometimes that’s what happens when you reel off a few in a row and you think everyone’s a dog, but everyone’s not a dog.
“We are not experienced enough to walk in and think we’re just going to beat everyone, and we proved that today.”
Twitter: @jefftsports
