Heritage Sweeps Abundant Life

— Guard Brittany Ward missed the final eight games of last season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee and the senior also sat out Rogers Heritage’s benefit game last weekend because of an ankle injury.

Heritage coach Kevin Ramey decided to bring Ward off the bench in the Lady War Eagles’ season opener Friday night and the senior gave her team exactly what it needed.

Ward scored a team-high 19 points, but also added four steals and four assists in less than three quarters of play to help Heritage to a 64-50 victory over Abundant Life.

“I thought when Brittany came in the game we had a lot better life to us,” Ramey said. “We switched a little in the second quarter and were able to get some hands on a lot of passes and get some run-outs.

“We were able to get some scores that don’t come out of an offense.”

Heritage led 15-2 after a quarter, but Abundant Life pulled within 19-11 before the Lady War Eagles turned up the defensive pressure.

Heritage used full-court pressure and a half-court trap to force numerous turnovers by the Lady Owls and regain control of the game.

Ashley Ward started the run with a three-point play, but her twin sister, Brittany, tipped the ball away and converted a layup. She then fed Ellen Lundy for a bucket inside and again went to Lundy for a layup after another steal to push Heritage’s lead to 28-11.

Abundant Life coach Lydia Fincher said the pressure and faster tempo was too much for the Lady Owls.

“My guards just weren’t ready for it,” Fincher said. “We only have eight players, so I don’t have the numbers to sub. It puts us in a tough spot.”

Lundy was also in double figures with 11 points, all in the first half, for Heritage.

Senior Lauren McClendon led all scorers with 26 points for Abundant Life (2-7).

Prep Basketball

Nonconference

Rogers Heritage 64, Abundant Life 50

Abundant Life 2 16 10 22 — 50

Heritage 15 23 18 8 — 64

Abundant Life (2-7): McClendon 26, Chandler 13, Batte 5, Sobba 5, Pool 1.

Rogers Heritage (1-0):B. Ward 19, Lundy 11, Murray 9, A. Ward 5, Allard 5, Henderson 4, Geisen 4, Jobst 3, Le 2, Bohrman 2.

Boys

Rogers Heritage 69, Abundant Life 38

The War Eagles picked up the tempo in the third quarter and ran past the Owls to an easy victory.

Abundant Life (1-8) pulled within 37-28 on Eric Moore’s inside bucket, but Heritage then went on a 17-2 run to end the third quarter to regain control.

Junior guard Crist Olsen had just one basket in the run, but tipped away a pass to start a fast break and added two assists in the surge.

The War Eagles (2-0) started the run on sophomore Connor Hirsh’s three-point play, but Jones had six points and Heritage scored 10 of those 17 points off fast breaks. Wyatt Kinnamon fed Jones for a layup to extend Heritage’s lead to 54-30 at the end of the third quarter.

Senior Hayden Greenway led a balance scoring attack for Heritage, which led 29-10 midway through the second quarter, with 15 points. Olsen added 10., while Hirsh and Kinnamon chipped in eight apiece.

Moore, a 6-4 senior, led all scorers with 20 points for Abundant Life (1-8).

Prep Basketball

Nonconference

ROGERS HERITAGE 69, ABUNDANT LIFE 38

Abundant Life 8 11 11 8 — 38

Heritage 18 14 22 15 — 69

Abundant Life (1-8): Moore 20, Holmes 10, Harness 4, Mitchell 2, Akin 2.

Rogers Heritage (2-0): Greenway 15, Olsen 10, Kinnamon 8, Hirsh 8, Jones 7, Thomas 7, Robbins 6, Fryauf 4, Prince 4.

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