Defense propels Aledo past Saginaw into regional quarters

By Greg Bogomol

Special to the Star-Telegram

Nine players scored as Aledo used a balanced offense and tenacious defense to turn back Saginaw 59-30 in a girls Class 4A Region I area-round game at Chisholm Trail High School.

Aledo was led by Alyssa Dry with 15 points and Mallory Powell with 10. The Bearcats (27-7) shot 51 percent from the floor (23 for 45). Aledo's defense held Saginaw to 12 field goals in 37 attempts, and forced 26 turnovers.

The Bearcats advance to the regional quarterfinals to face the winner of tonight's game between Wichita Falls Rider and Granbury.

"The past two days in practice we've really worked on our defense and wanted to make it where we didn't let their guards get open looks from 3-point range," Aledo coach Rusty Johnson said.

Aledo put the game away with a 10-0 run late in the third quarter to turn a 17-point cushion into a 47-20 lead.

The Bearcats forced six turnovers on Saginaw's first seven possessions, building a 10-1 lead that never got smaller the rest of the half.

Four Aledo players scored in the first 1:47. Over the next 3:30 Megan Wood drained a 3-pointer, Kaylee Black and Breann Forbes added baskets and Dry added a free throw to make it 18-3.

Saginaw (23-11) closed the quarter on an 8-3 run, getting a 3 from Kelsie Candey (who led the team with nine points), a 3-point play from Kiley Laminack and a basket from Auburney January to make it 21-11.

Dry scored Aledo's first six points of the second quarter. January scored Saginaw's only four points in the first two minutes as they went six minutes without a point.

"Our mindset right now is full court man-to-man defense all game every game," Johnson said. "Each game we play we keep getting better and better."

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