The East Knox Bulldogs cruised to a 42-25 victory over the Mount Gilead Indians in girls varsity basketball on Friday, improving their season record to 3-4. The Indians, now 4-4, struggled with shooting and rebounding throughout the contest.
East Knox dominated the glass, outrebounding Mount Gilead 42-21. Despite shooting just 28 percent from the field, the Bulldogs’ defense and rebounding were more than enough to secure the win. In contrast, Mount Gilead faced significant shooting woes, finishing the game with a dismal 19 percent shooting percentage.
The Bulldogs were led by Malena Streby, who finished with 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals. Streby’s all-around performance helped set the tone early, as East Knox’s defensive pressure kept the Indians off balance throughout the game.
“I thought we really controlled the game with our defense,” said East Knox head coach Mandy Todd. “We weren’t shooting great, but our defense and rebounding helped us stay in control.”
Jasmine Smith also contributed significantly, scoring 7 points and grabbing 4 rebounds, while Molly Totten added 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. Totten’s all-around effort was crucial, especially in the second half, where East Knox pulled away.
“We had several players step up tonight,” Totten said. “It was a team effort on both ends of the floor, and that’s what made the difference.”
For Mount Gilead, Faith White was the standout performer, scoring 13 points and making all four of her free throw attempts. White’s effort kept the Indians within striking distance for much of the game, but Mount Gilead’s struggles from the field ultimately proved costly.
“We just couldn’t get our shots to fall,” said Mount Gilead head coach Nick Vukovich. “We have to work on finishing better and improving our shooting efficiency moving forward.”
Kendall Neal also contributed for the Indians, scoring 7 points and shooting 50 percent from the field. However, the Indians’ offense was unable to sustain any momentum due to East Knox’s constant defensive pressure.
Both teams committed 17 turnovers apiece, but East Knox’s superior rebounding (42-21) and defense were the deciding factors in the game.
The Bulldogs will look to build on their victory when they face Genoa Christian Academy on Saturday, December 28, at 2:30 p.m. Genoa enters the matchup with an impressive 8-2 record.
“We’ll need to keep up our defensive intensity against Genoa,” said Todd. “They’re a tough team, but if we play like we did tonight, we’ll have a chance.”
