The Reeths-Puffer girls basketball team has yet to score a ton of points in a game this season.
But when you keep the other team from scoring much of anything at all, it really doesn’t matter.
The Rockets used their amazing defense to keep Sparta from getting anything going on the offensive end on Tuesday, and walked away with a nice 32-19 non-conference victory on the Spartans’ home court.
The win was Reeths-Puffer’s third in a row following an opening-game loss.
Raquel Walker
Sparta actually led by one point – 10-9 – at the end of the first quarter, but that 10 points turned out to be more than half of what the home team would total.
The Rockets held the Spartans scoreless in the second quarter, and only allowed them four points in the third and five in the fourth.
R-P followed the same recipe to success in its previous two games. The Rockets beat Zeeland East by holding the Chix to only two points in the fourth quarter. They beat Marquette by holding the Sentinels to only two points in overtime.
Jaslynn Kops
That’s a formula that R-P head coach Rodney Walker likes a lot.
“Our start wasn’t ideal tonight, but we locked down on defense in the second half,” he said. “We disrupted them, forced some turnovers, and then fell into a rhythm in transition. That sequence is how we win games – defend, push and convert.
“We prided ourselves on our defensive discipline tonight. When we turned defense into offense, we built momentum. That’s the momentum you need to close out games.”
R-P only scored four points in the second quarter, but since Sparta scored nothing, the Rockets managed to lead 13-10 at halftime.
Olivia Ambler
The Rockets took control in the third quarter, outscoring their hosts 12-4. Raquel Walker led the uprising with six points while Olivia Ambler hit a three-pointer.
They finished off the win with a 7-5 edge in the fourth quarter.
Walker finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds (including seven on the offensive boards), four steals and two assists. Ambler and Jaslynn Kops each scored five points and Kops added four steals. Ashlyn David snagged five rebounds.