Words at half spark Rams

GIRLS BASKETBALL: After a listless first half, Hightstown roared back in the last two quarters to beat Hopewell Valley on the road Tuesday.

By: Neil Hay
   Some well-chosen words at halftime helped snap the Hightstown girls basketball team out of its funk Tuesday night.
   Playing a listless first two quarters that left them down by 15 points at the break, coach Gary Bushelli’s pointed and challenging words got the Rams back on track. The Rams played inspired basketball the rest of the way and won at Hopewell Valley, 48-43.
   The win evened the Rams’ record at 1-1. Hightstown opened the new season last Friday night at Steinert, where they lost to the Spartans, 63-36.
   Bushelli did not like what he saw in the first 16 minutes at Hopewell Valley. The Bulldogs outscored the Rams 24-8 in the second period for a comfortable 31-16 lead.
   "We didn’t play with a lot of energy or enthusiasm," said Bushelli of his team’s first-half performance.
   At the half Bushelli let his players know he was not happy with what he had witnessed.
   "I told them I was very disappointed," he said. "I told them we had to show more heart and more intensity. I challenged them to do it and they did. We hadn’t had a comeback like that in a while."
   In the second half the Rams turned up the defensive pressure. Thanks to a bunch of turnovers, the Rams went on a 16-4 run in the third period. Said Bushelli, "We showed great composure and free-throw shooting down the stretch."
   The Rams won the fourth quarter by a 16-6 score. Sarah Mitchell (14 points) canned four of five free throws in the final period.
   Because of injuries, the Rams played only six girls, five of whom scored. Nicole Allen added 12 points, Alysia Townsend 10. Lauren Wittenberg tossed in seven points, and Laura Boyce had five.
   "We are shooting better, but are really converting off our defensive pressure," Bushelli said. "Our outside shooting still needs improvement."
   Having spoken to his players at the half, did Bushelli have anything to say after the game?
   "I told them I was proud of their second-half effort," he said. "They hung together and everyone contributed."
   It is not too difficult to break down Hightstown’s loss at Steinert — not enough offense in the first half, not enough gas left in the tank in the fourth quarter.
   The Rams battled hard and never quit against the taller Spartans. But at the half Hightstown was down 29-12. The locals showed more life in the third period, actually winning the session by a 12-11 edge, but by the final quarter, with only six players available, the Rams were running on fumes. The Spartans locked it up, winning the last eight minutes by a healthy 23-12 bulge.
   "It was not as bad as it appears. We just didn’t shoot well," said Bushelli, alluding to the Rams’ subpar 14-of-51 effort from the field. The Rams also were outrebounded and did not go to the line very often, connecting on seven of 13 attempts.
   With the team already beset by injuries, Bushelli’s shortened bench was no match for the deeper Spartans, who had 11 players take the floor. Said Bushelli, "We ran out of gas in the fourth quarter."
   Allen’s 10 points was high for Hightstown, followed by nine each from Mitchell and Townsend.
   Bushelli could not fault his players’ efforts.
   "The ones who played gave a very good effort. I was pleased," Bushelli said. "We ran our offense well. We had good looks at the basket. We created more turnovers (23) than we had (16)."
   Unfortunately, the Rams were unable to produce many transition points off the turnovers.
   Added Bushelli, "That was a problem."