Girls Basketball: Second-chance points spark Sandwich past Plano

PLANO – Moments after everyone in Plano’s gym became aware that 5-foot-2 Melody Goldstein had somehow snagged an offensive rebound, the Sandwich junior had dished the ball out to Molly Roberts who knocked down a jumper.

Offensive rebounds proved to be huge for Sandwich as the Indians scored 24 second-chance points and cruised past Plano, 44-26, during Wednesday night’s Interstate Eight Conference rivalry game.

“I’ve talked to [Sandwich] coach [Randy] Malloy and last year I talked to coach [Chris] Johnson and they tell me to keep going at it,” Goldstein said. ”It’s not about size, it’s about how you play because as much as you can be small, you can play big.”

Goldstein’s lone rebound and pass to Roberts was followed by a similar play from the 6-foot junior Claire Allen to Roberts.

Sandwich's Claire Allen (40) drives to the basket during the game at Plano on Wednesday, Jan. 5.

Allen, who led the Indians with eight rebounds and also scored 13 points, saw her efforts going for off-the-mark shots rewarded when Roberts extended their lead to 18-3 with just 3:25 left in the first half.

“I crash as hard as I can and I do it every time unless I can’t do it,” Allen said. “We’re just trying to get as many points as we can at this point.”

Plano (3-15, 1-4) not only was single-handedly decimated by the second chance points, but their chances were also hurt by coughing the ball up 27 times and converting just 13-of-27 free throws.

“That’s tough to overcome no matter who you play,” Plano coach Dave Lay said. “[Sandwich] is a scrappy team and they do a lot of things well. They move the ball well, they pass well, they do the little stuff well and it’s stuff we’ve got to get better at. We’re young and inexperienced, but it’s not an excuse, but when you’re already behind in the leadership column, like we are, you can’t let them get second chance points.”

Trailing 21-7 at halftime, Lay’s message for the Reapers was clear: stop allowing second chance points.

“That was our message and we told them that [Sandwich] is not beating you because they’re better, they’ve beating you because they’re outhustling you,” Lay said. “They’re getting 50/50 balls and getting second chance points. You can’t beat teams playing that way.”

Sandwich (3-11, 1-2) got back-to-back second-chance baskets from Allen and Roberts late in the third quarter while Allen’s three-point play with 4:37 left in the game made it a 39-19.

“We had a lot of offensive rebounds there and we fought hard,” Malloy said. “I think that’s the most points we’ve scored all year. We had two or three days off and the girls came ready to play. It was a good effort and I give them a lot of credit. We’ll see what happens on Saturday against Yorkville.”

The Reapers dressed four freshmen and only had nine players in uniform as they are a team without seniors and are missing three starters from the beginning of the season.

“It’s a lot to overcome, and I’m not making excuses, but that’s what we’re dealing with,” Lay said. “We felt like if we played our perfect game and maybe they didn’t, then maybe we could play in this game a little bit, but they outworked us and that’s a bad recipe.”

Ryssa Woodhouse led the Reapers with nine points. Itzel Benitez had six points and freshman Josie Larson had five points and five rebounds.

Breanna Sexton added six points, Hannah Treptow contributed five points and Kaylin Herren grabbed five rebounds for the Indians.