DANVILLE – The numbers show Brooklynn Hess as the top scorer for the Danville Blue Devils.
What the numbers don’t show are her defensive skills. And they were on full display against East Knox on Wednesday.
Hess scored a game-high 22 points. But it was her four blocks – all in the fourth quarter – and her constant disruption of the Bulldog offense that led the way for her team’s 68-54 home victory over Danville’s biggest rival.
“It’s the biggest rivalry here, and having the stands packed really helps,” Hess said after the game. “We really wanted to beat them.”
Hess, who plans to attend Liberty University in the fall but not to play sports, played with an instinct Wednesday few players possess. She seemed to know when the dribbler was going left, passing right, driving to the basket – it didn’t matter. Hess was there to disrupt the play.
“Defense is my favorite thing to play,” Hess said. “I like to be up close.”
“Our defensive philosophy is pretty straightforward: keep them in front of us,” Danville coach Matt Proper said. “We remember our plays and remember their patterns and tendencies.”
Hess wasn’t the sole reason Danville (6-4, 4-2 Knox-Morrow Athletic Conference) won. East Knox scored the first seven points of the game and led 13-7 late in the first period. But Danville went on a 22-4 run, sparked by a trio of 3-pointers by Alenah Boeshart. The lead reached 32-19 by halftime.
East Knox (3-5, 2-4) ate away at that lead throughout the second half. Laura Keith hit four 3-pointers in the third period to keep the Bulldogs within reach. In the fourth, Alexandria Magers scored and drew fouls on consecutive possessions to bring East Knox to within six, 53-47. Shandra Melick later hit a pair of free throws to get her team to within two.
But the Bulldogs got no closer. Danville ended the game on a 12-0 run, including several shots by Ella Proper. The sophomore finished with 17 points, all in the second half.
“I saw a good energy on the bench, and I saw a lot of kids excited and clapping on the floor,” Matt Proper said. “It’s what we’re always trying to do against our big-time rival.”
In addition to Hess' 22, Ella Proper finished with 17 points, Boeshart scored 13, Cece Newbold had six points and Kylee Hess scored five points for Danville.
Keith led East Knox with 20 points, including six threes. Melick scored 14 points. Magers finished with eight points. Anjel Montgomery had six points.
