BELOIT - If singer Jim Croce ever figured out how to save time in a bottle, Albany head coach Mike Brunhoefer would like to know.
Albany's second-year coach is particularly interested in capturing the first 16 minutes of both of his Comets' first two games, during which they've run their opponents off the floor.
On Tuesday, the Comets (2-0) cruised to a 32-8 halftime lead at Beloit Turner (0-1), and coasted to a 46-30 nonconference victory.
"We've had two good first halves," Brunhoefer said, whose Comets led 39-9 at the half in a season-opening 70-23 victory over Palmyra-Eagle Saturday. "I'd just as soon not even take halftime."
The Comets used smothering full-court pressure to force turnovers on eight of the Trojans' first 10 possessions. With quick transition, the visitors scored 16 unanswered points to build a 23-4 lead midway through the second period.
Sydney Bump triggered the run with two point-blank hoops. After the junior forward scored at the right block off an inbounds play, classmate Hayli Peach poked the ball free on the ensuing press and Courtney Pfeuti slipped a feed to Bump at the left block where she laid it in.
"All of us juniors work as a team; we have since fourth grade," Peach said, whose team boasts no seniors.
A Turner time out did little to cool the Comets, who held the Trojans scoreless for more than eight minutes. Hillary Best, another junior, scored six of her team-high 13 points during the run and capped it with a strong finish at the left block. That bucket was made possible on a steal by Peach, who pilfered pass after pass, always immediately looking to hit teammates running fly patterns.
"Hayli throws passes that Brett Favre throws," Brunhoefer said. "The girl isn't even looking and you're thinking, 'Who's that to?' and all of a sudden, there she is. She's the complete floor general."
The Comets' abysmal free-throw shooting (6-for-21, 29 percent) kept the Trojans within striking distance, and junior Megan Grover single-handedly outscored the Comets 10-3 in the first 3:05 of the second half. She hit a 3 to open the half and, three minutes later, scored a putback of her own miss to get her team within 15 at 35-20 and force Brunhoefer to burn a time out.
Bump and Peach both finished with 10 points. Peach played well beyond her 5-foot, 6-inch frame with three blocks.
"I've been working on my calves, trying to get bigger and more hops; my dad helps me out with that," Peach said. "I've also worked on my timing, waiting for them to go up before I throw it down."
Albany's second-year coach is particularly interested in capturing the first 16 minutes of both of his Comets' first two games, during which they've run their opponents off the floor.
On Tuesday, the Comets (2-0) cruised to a 32-8 halftime lead at Beloit Turner (0-1), and coasted to a 46-30 nonconference victory.
"We've had two good first halves," Brunhoefer said, whose Comets led 39-9 at the half in a season-opening 70-23 victory over Palmyra-Eagle Saturday. "I'd just as soon not even take halftime."
The Comets used smothering full-court pressure to force turnovers on eight of the Trojans' first 10 possessions. With quick transition, the visitors scored 16 unanswered points to build a 23-4 lead midway through the second period.
Sydney Bump triggered the run with two point-blank hoops. After the junior forward scored at the right block off an inbounds play, classmate Hayli Peach poked the ball free on the ensuing press and Courtney Pfeuti slipped a feed to Bump at the left block where she laid it in.
"All of us juniors work as a team; we have since fourth grade," Peach said, whose team boasts no seniors.
A Turner time out did little to cool the Comets, who held the Trojans scoreless for more than eight minutes. Hillary Best, another junior, scored six of her team-high 13 points during the run and capped it with a strong finish at the left block. That bucket was made possible on a steal by Peach, who pilfered pass after pass, always immediately looking to hit teammates running fly patterns.
"Hayli throws passes that Brett Favre throws," Brunhoefer said. "The girl isn't even looking and you're thinking, 'Who's that to?' and all of a sudden, there she is. She's the complete floor general."
The Comets' abysmal free-throw shooting (6-for-21, 29 percent) kept the Trojans within striking distance, and junior Megan Grover single-handedly outscored the Comets 10-3 in the first 3:05 of the second half. She hit a 3 to open the half and, three minutes later, scored a putback of her own miss to get her team within 15 at 35-20 and force Brunhoefer to burn a time out.
Bump and Peach both finished with 10 points. Peach played well beyond her 5-foot, 6-inch frame with three blocks.
"I've been working on my calves, trying to get bigger and more hops; my dad helps me out with that," Peach said. "I've also worked on my timing, waiting for them to go up before I throw it down."
