His Bellbrook team defeated Kings 48-24 in its first home game of the season Monday. The two teams have now played a non-league game for five straight seasons. The average margin of victory for either side was five points until Monday’s 24-point win for the Golden Eagles.
“They don’t have any seniors,” Tincher said. “(Steve Green has) all juniors and sophomores and so his numbers are a little down which, with playing our style, probably wasn’t beneficial to them.”
Bellbrook typically asks a group of seven or eight players to rest up during their in-game bench time in order to continue playing its 94-feet of pressing style. The first quarter line change utilized by Tincher is telling this is a deeper group of Golden Eagles this season.
Tincher said he is comfortable going with 10 players as needed to be part of his rotation. The girls want to keep playing that way, he said.
Credit: Steven Wright
Credit: Steven Wright
“It’s better when it looks like chaos for the other team, but not chaos for us,” he said.
Two All-Ohio performers last year, junior Lauren Fabrick and sophomore Libby Bunsold, are the invaluable leaders.
Fabrick led the team in scoring last season at 15.7 points per game and both was the primary shooter and remained in the frontcourt to point the defensive press. Bunsold was a triple-double waiting to happen at times during her freshman year in having separate games reaching double digits in either points, rebounds, steals or assists. She already had 19 points, nine rebounds and eight steals in their season opener Nov. 22 against Toledo Notre Dame Academy.
The team has four of its top six scorers back from last year’s 22-4 squad with seniors Zoe Howard and Ainsley Gregory joining Fabrick and Bunsold.
There is one freshman listed on the roster, Macy Miller, and her contributions could prove to be important if her role solidifies. She led Bellbrook with a season-high 15 points against Kings and had her own 11-0 run during the third quarter.
“From what we see in practice, it was just a matter of time,” Tincher said of Miller’s early breakout. “She’s one of our pure shooters, so when she has space I feel confident it’s going to go in.”
Bellbrook’s first Southwestern Buckeye League game was set for Wednesday against Monroe. The Golden Eagles are the five-time reigning division champions and have won 17 straight against league teams.
Tincher had something at the ready for each of their opponents. Toledo Notre Dame Academy lost its point guard due to injury before Bellbrook won by 28. Newark only had three guards to use that caused their side to only muster six points in the fourth quarter of a 22-point Bellbrook win. Oakwood’s surrounded by walls court made it feel Bellbrook players were everywhere in that 43-point drubbing.
The one constant in each of the four games is the depth Bellbrook has employed. And Tincher happily won’t come up with an excuse for that.
Credit: Steven Wright
Credit: Steven Wright
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