BASKETBALL: Saline Aces Another SEC Red Test, Defeats Pioneer

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Saline aced another SEC Red test, beating Pioneer 58-34, in varsity girls basketball action at Saline High School Tuesday night.

The Hornets improved to 5-0 (4-0 in the SEC Red).

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The victory gave Saline back-to-back lopsided victories against opponents believed to be the Hornets' biggest challengers for the SEC Red title this year. Saline beat Bedford, 49-32, Friday.

COACH QUOt

Senior Ella Stemmer led the charge with 22 points, five rebounds and three steals. Junior Sophie Canen scored 15 points, grabbed seven rebounds, had two steals, three blocks and three assists. 

Seniors Natalie Sweetland and Emily Wilczynski each scored seven points. Sweetland also had 12 rebounds and two assists, while Wilczynski had twp assists. Freshman Kate Stemmer scored four points, grabbed four rebounds, three steals and two assists.

The Hornet defense was dominant in the first half, giving up just nine points to the Pioneers.

"They are a great, talented team with a deep bench, so we knew we had to lay our hearts on the floor, with every rotation we made and we every rebound we went after," Saline coach Leigh Ann Roehm said. "That was the big question. How much did we have to give. And, man, did they give it all. It was inspiring."

Roehm said the Hornets contested every Pioneer look.

"I couldn't be prouder of them," Roehm said.

She said the Hornet players have been working on their rotations and defensive switches since middle school - so the schemes and movements are learned. But it still requires something extra to pull it off the way Saline did Tuesday.

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"The rest of it just comes from grit and focus, and heart and passion and all those intangibles you can't coach. I can coach Xs and Os and tell you where you have to rotate and what the strengths of the opponents are, but those kids have to go out there and put in the effort. They have a fire in their belly to get it done," Roehm said.

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Wilczynski opened the scoring with a short jump shot. Ella Stemmer followed with a jump shot of her own. Sweetland made one of two free throws and then Stemmer made another jump shot. Saline led 7-0 with 2:45 to play in the quarter.

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Pioneer got on the board with a basket and two points from the stripe. But Saline closed the quarter strong. Stemmer went 2-for-2 from the line. Then she made a lay-up while getting fouled and scored on the free throw. Canen ended the first quarter scoring with a three-pointer. 

Saline led 15-4.

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Pioneer opened the second quarter with a basket at the free-throw line, but Sweetland hit the first of her two three-bombs from the corner to make it 18-5. 

Stemmer came out of the game briefly with two fouls. 

Canen followed with one of two beautiful drives through the paint she made in the second quarter.

Then she went two-for-two from the stripe. And then she scored on another great drive. Saline led 24-8.

Sweetland hit another three-pointer to make it 27-9. Taylor Kangas added a point from the stripe. 

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Brielle Eugeni scored on a jump shot to give Saline a 30-9 advantage it took into the dressing room at halftime.

Pioneer found some life in the third quarter, but by then it was too late.

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Stemmer added three two-point field goals and a three-pointer during the quarter. Wilczynski scored a two-point and three-point basket during the quarter. Kate Stemmer made a lay-up during the quarter and Canen made a basket and a free throw. Saline led 49-27 after three quarters.

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Pioneer opened the scoring in the fourth quarter. Kate Stemmer responded with a basket to make it 51-29. Then Canen connected for a three-pointer.  Ella Stemmer went 2-for-2 from the line and then Canen and Stemmer each went 1-for-2 from the line. Saline led 59-28 with 1:59 to play. Pioneer scored  the final five points of the game.

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