DARLINGTON - Cassidy Chambers is used to playing basketball with her sister. She was eager to play Mineral Point since it would give her a chance to rekindle a sibling rivalry.
Chambers, a Darlington senior, scored a game-high 20 points and made four 3-pointers to propel the Redbirds past the Pointers and her freshman sister Clara Chambers, 45-35 Thursday night.
"We both wanted to win and play our best games," Cassidy Chambers said. "Mineral Point has beat us before. We are always rivals. No one wants to lose. We didn't want it to happen again. Once (Clara and I) get home, we are sisters and we leave it on the court."
Darlington (7-2, 4-1 SWAL) used a 15-2 run in the first quarter to take control of the game. Darlington senior Claire Scott, who scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds, scored the first seven points for the Redbirds. Chambers made two 3-pointers during the surge to help the Redbirds take a 13-point lead.
"I thought they would come out and try to take away Cassidy," Darlington coach Riley Fitzsimons said. "Claire did a good job of taking the ball to the basket."
The Pointers (3-4, 3-2 SWAL) outscored the Redbirds 7-4 in the second quarter to cut the Redbirds' lead to 21-11 at the half.
Darlington senior Alexa Hardyman drilled a 3-pointer to start the third quarter and give the Redbirds a 24-11 lead. Senior Abigail Merriam scored on a layup late in the third quarter, and Shannon McDaniel's steal led to a Merriam jumper to give the Redbirds a 41-20 lead at the end of the third quarter.
"We have talked about it's not how you come out," Fitzsimons said. "It's how you finish."
Fitzsimons said when the Pointers switched to a 2-3 zone, the Redbirds could have done a better job of running the pick and roll against a switching defense.
"It's still a work in progress," he said.
The Redbirds used a pressure defense to force the Pointers into 15 turnovers. Mineral Point freshman Jessica Schultz scored eight of her 11 points in the second half to lead the Pointers.
"We knew coming in that defense was our key," Fitzsimons said.
He said the Redbirds wanted to use their defense to create some offense by getting in transition.
Chambers, a Darlington senior, scored a game-high 20 points and made four 3-pointers to propel the Redbirds past the Pointers and her freshman sister Clara Chambers, 45-35 Thursday night.
"We both wanted to win and play our best games," Cassidy Chambers said. "Mineral Point has beat us before. We are always rivals. No one wants to lose. We didn't want it to happen again. Once (Clara and I) get home, we are sisters and we leave it on the court."
Darlington (7-2, 4-1 SWAL) used a 15-2 run in the first quarter to take control of the game. Darlington senior Claire Scott, who scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds, scored the first seven points for the Redbirds. Chambers made two 3-pointers during the surge to help the Redbirds take a 13-point lead.
"I thought they would come out and try to take away Cassidy," Darlington coach Riley Fitzsimons said. "Claire did a good job of taking the ball to the basket."
The Pointers (3-4, 3-2 SWAL) outscored the Redbirds 7-4 in the second quarter to cut the Redbirds' lead to 21-11 at the half.
Darlington senior Alexa Hardyman drilled a 3-pointer to start the third quarter and give the Redbirds a 24-11 lead. Senior Abigail Merriam scored on a layup late in the third quarter, and Shannon McDaniel's steal led to a Merriam jumper to give the Redbirds a 41-20 lead at the end of the third quarter.
"We have talked about it's not how you come out," Fitzsimons said. "It's how you finish."
Fitzsimons said when the Pointers switched to a 2-3 zone, the Redbirds could have done a better job of running the pick and roll against a switching defense.
"It's still a work in progress," he said.
The Redbirds used a pressure defense to force the Pointers into 15 turnovers. Mineral Point freshman Jessica Schultz scored eight of her 11 points in the second half to lead the Pointers.
"We knew coming in that defense was our key," Fitzsimons said.
He said the Redbirds wanted to use their defense to create some offense by getting in transition.
