It has been a lot of basketball for the Summit Middle School Girls team in the last 10 days. After their game against Warren earlier last week, they beat Branchburg last Friday afternoon 24-7 in a game where the opponent was shorthanded due to illness. The girls did what they were supposed to do in winning that game. They followed that with a loss earlier this week on Monday to Hillsborough, 44-18. Hillsborough is the top ranked team in the league currently sitting at an undefeated 10-0. Summit was a bit fatigued and it showed. No player had more than 6 points and the ball was not bouncing their way.
Today, the girls seemed rejuvenated in their win against a good Montgomery team. Mackenna Welsh got the game started off the tip with a smooth layup which was quickly answered by a 3-pointer by Montgomery at the other end. On the next possession, Emma Ryan fed a streaking Welsh for a beautiful assist and another easy layup to retake the lead. Two quick rebounds by Welsh after a couple of missed shots by her teammates were eventually fed to Emma Easton who put the team up 6-3. The teams traded baskets and ended the first half tied 13-13.
The second half started well for Summit, with Emma Ryan hitting a free throw and on the first possession followed by another great assist to Annie McGovern for a mid-range jumper that went. After a turnover by Montgomery, Charlotte Yarnall hit a 3-pointer off an excellent feed from Welsh, putting Summit up 19-13 and forcing Montgomery to call a time-out. Yarnall started to heat up from there, blocking a shot and grabbing a rebound on a put back by Montgomery that didn’t go. Off that rebound, she fed Ryan in the front court who pull up and drilled a 3-pointer to take the score to 22-16.
Elsie Fosgate got into the action for Summit on the next possession, getting a steal, then an assist on a pass to Yarnall who finished in the lane, sending the game to the 4th quarter with Summit up 24-16.
Montgomery came out in the 4th with an aggressive full court press that gave the Summit team some trouble. Montgomery pulled even at 24-24 before Yarnall then got hot again hitting a 3-pointer from the short corner, and Summit never looked back from there.
Yarnall finished the game 17 points and 13 rebounds to go with 5 blocks. Emma Easton had 5 points to go with 5 rebounds and 2 steals. It was a fantastic team win.
The SMS Girls basketball team wraps up their regular season schedule this Friday against Ridge at home at 4pm, after which they will prepare for the playoffs.
Go Hilltoppers!