Mariner girls’ basketball comes from 17 down to defeat Millsboro
The Mariner Middle School girls’ basketball team remained undefeated at 5-0 with a 29-22 victory over Millsboro Jan. 8 at the Vikings’ home court.
The game started off with the unexpected, as the Vikings were shut out in the first period 6-0. In an eyebrow-raising coaching move, Mariner coach John Wright pulled all of his starters out of the game. He kept them out until the substitutes scored, but not before the Knights had tallied 17 points.
“I have total confidence in my whole team; I believe in all of my players,” Wright said. “The starters weren’t playing well, so I put in my bench, and they got the energy up. They inspired the starters. It was a wake-up call. I think the young ones playing so many minutes ... it is galvanizing the team, and now we’ll spring forward.”
After scoring just four in the second period, the Vikings pounded the floor for 25 points in the second half while holding the Knights to just six.
Mia Scott led the Vikings with 11 points. Jordlynn Bowe tallied eight. Blair Chubb hit for six, while Natalie Horsey knocked down four.
“I think a lot of us coming back had to do with getting the first period out of our heads and playing the way we could,” said Chubb. “I think this game is going to be a driving force for us coming down the stretch.”
“I knew we could do it, and I knew we could score a lot of points to come back,” said Scott. “We weren’t playing our best, so letting us sit for a while helped.”
“We are a team and they are pulling together,” smiled Wright.
