Girls basketball: Outcome never in doubt for the Gators

By Chris Wagenheim
Published January 12, 2008

LAND O'LAKES - Taking the lead off its initial possession, Land O'Lakes held on to it throughout the game, defeating the Gulf 42-33 Friday night.

"We were nervous before the game," Gators forward Kayli Keough said. "We wanted to make sure, after (Thursday) night's game, that we didn't have a letdown or anything."

Thursday the Gators (20-1) overcame Wesley Chapel 35-31, a team the senior class had never beaten.

"We didn't want to freak out and get used to the game from (Thursday) night," Keough said. "In warmups we were a bit unfocused, but pulled it together."

Keough was Land O'Lakes' leading scorer with 21 points, including nine in the third quarter. Keough was almost perfect from the free-throw line, knocking down 5-of-6.

As much as the Gators played together, the Bucs (15-5) played apart. Gulf seemed to have trouble finding open lanes to pass or shoot. The frustration boiled over in the fourth quarter when coach Michael Quarto received a technical foul for yelling at the referees and entering the field of play.

"When their chemistry is off, they can't work together, they can't cover each other in a zone, it helps us a lot. We can run the floor more; we can catch them off balance," Keough said."

Gulf's Jordan Schulman, the team's first-half point leader, was gaining momentum as the game wore on, but left the game after a collision late in the second quarter. Schulman got caught in a screen and went to the floor, grabbing her shoulder. Point guard Nicole Adams led the Bucs with 10 points.

[Last modified January 11, 2008, 22:55:25]