Mill Valley made sure there wasn’t a repeat of last year.
The Jaguar girls connected on nine-of-10 first-quarter shots, including six three-pointers in rolling to a 19-point lead Friday and went on to a 47-21 victory atBonner Springs.
The big win move the Jaguars’ Kaw Valley League record to 6-0 and 7-1 overall. The Braves lost their first league game in six games, falling to 7-2 overall.
During the 2011-12 season, the two teams played two one-point games.
“When we shoot the ball well, we are pretty darn good,” third-year coach John McFall said. “I told them I didn’t want a barn-burner tonight.”
Senior Mackenzie Conklin had 10 first-quarter points, including two three-pointers and seniors Tanner Tripp and Stephanie Lichtenauer added two three-pointers each. Senior McKenzie Koch had two free throws to complete the 26-point first quarter.
“We came out fired up and shot the ball well,” Tripp said. “We have been focused on shooting. We haven’t been shooting well in games, but this (the first quarter) is definitely good.”
Koch added, “We got more confident. The more they went in the more confidence we got.”
The Jaguars scored the first 13 points in the game on the way to the 26-7 first-quarter advantage.
“We have people who can shoot the ball,” McFall said. “Most of the shots (in the first quarter) were good shots.”
Defensively, Mill Valley’s zone press and tough half-court defense forced the Braves into seven first quarter turnovers and 22 for the game.
Mill Valley led 35-12 at the halftime intermission and 39-17 entering the fourth quarter.
What did McFall tell his team at halftime with a 23-point advantage?
“I told them we wanted to win the second half,” he said.
The Jaguars started five seniors. And they have had three years under McFall, who had great success as a boys basketball coach for nine years at Shawnee Mission West and 15 years at Olathe South.
“We have six players returning from last year’s team,” Lichtenauer said. “We know what he (McFall) wants.”
“He stresses good defense,” Tripp added. “Playing good defense helps cause turnovers.”
The defense forced the Bonner Springs into an eight-of-30 shooting night.
Senior Anna Deegan led the Braves with six points and sophomore Kaleigh Taylor came off the bench and scored five points.
Tripp and Lichtenauer led the Jaguars with 14 points each. Conklin added 11. Tripp hit on four three-point shots.
Mill Valley was 17-of-39 from the floor for the game (44 percent). The Jaguars were five-of-eight at the free-throw line. They had just four turnovers entering the fourth quarter.
