Superior girls get big win to open season

Pre-season tournaments like the one held this past weekend in Hamilton, can provide more than a chance for fans to munch on popcorn and get their yell muscles ready.

Sometimes they can present some intriguing out-of-the gate matchups that provide a legitimate glimpse into the coming season.

The first-day encounter between the Drummond and Superior girls teams was no doubt a tantalizing early look at two traditional basketball powers.

This first rounder, which seemed destined to be settled on the final possession, went to Superior 48-44 and was not settled until the final minute of play.

Surely their paths will cross in tournament games down the line.

For now, fans were treated to an extremely entertaining game to kick off the basketball year.

Like two fighters testing each other’s power early, the Lady Trojans of Drummond and the Lady Bobcats of Superior circled the rectangular ring known as the Hamilton basketball court and probed and punched.

By the end of the first quarter, the game had been tied at four, Superior had taken an 11-4 lead, and the score stood 11-7 at the end of the first eight minutes of play.

The second quarter was more of the same as Drummond surged to a 15-11 lead before falling behind 19-15 at the end of the first half.

Superior’s strength was on display throughout as quick and pesky guards Isabella Pereria and Lani Crabb created havoc with their defense and offense off turnovers. And sharp shooters Payton Milender and Shaylie Smalley provided firepower from outside to show this Jeff Schultz team was once again well coached and multi-faceted.

Drummond, meanwhile projected inside power as one of it’s key attributes for the coming season as the two teams resumed play in the third quarter that ended knotted at 27 points each.

Then came the sneak preview for which the fans had been hoarding their popcorn, otherwise known as the fourth quarter of a tied game between two solid teams.

Superior jumped to a quick 34-29 lead over the first three minutes of play before Drummond turned on its inside game and battled back to take a 40-39 lead with just under two minutes left in regulation play.

That’s when the Lady Trojans made the mistake of fouling Milender, a rock-solid free throw shooter who calmly sank her first two chances to put Superior up 41-40. A Bobcat turnover and a bucket underneath by Drummond put the Lady Trojans back on top, 42-41. With 34 seconds to go Milender was fouled again.

Once more she stepped to the charity stripe and buried both foul shots, giving the Lady Cats a 43-42 lead.

Then Drummond went to the foul line and also cashed in on a pair of gift throws that put the Trojans up 44-43.

At that point, Superior freshman guard Shaylie Smalley unleashed a nothing but net three-pointer from the corner that gave the Cats a 46-44 lead.

The game ended with Pereria’s two free throws that secured the Cats’ win as the clock ticked to zero.

It was only a pre-season game, but it was, if nothing else, an indicator that once again there is some really good girls basketball in this neck of the woods.

Superior would finish the Hamilton experience with a 2-0 record, including a 47-10 blowout win over Plains.

The early tests continue this Thursday for Superior when they host Seeley, then hit the road Friday for boys and girls games in Darby.