(GILBERT, Ariz.) Gilbert Christian girls basketball notched its second 3A Metro Region win on Tuesday, defeating Benjamin Franklin 46-36 behind a well-balanced, aggressive offensive attack, and a resolute defensive effort.
"It is never easy coming off of the long holiday layoff, and I thought the girls did a good job of pushing through some rough patches in this game," Head Coach Mark Duitsman said. "We continued to rebound well, and we were always able to regain control of the game when they went on their runs. Looking forward, we need to get some of that sharpness back on offense that we started to find before the break. We have some important region games ahead, and great opportunities to compete throughout the month."
The Knights never trailed, starting the contest with a 9-0 run, before taking a 21-12 lead into the locker room at the break. The Chargers were held to just four points in the second quarter as Gilbert Christian cranked up the intensity on the defensive end of the floor, and limited Ben Franklin's shot attempts by grabbing rebound-after-rebound off of the glass.
In the third, the Knights' offense found a rhythm, scoring 17 points behind solid post play from senior Kaila Aston and sophomore Addie Hansen, to stretch the advantage to 38-22 heading into the final eight minutes.
The fourth saw the Chargers pull within six, but Gilbert Christian kept its composure and found a way to answer down the stretch, claiming the victory as the final buzzer sounded.
Aston finished the contest with a team-high 13 points, insisting that she remain in the game despite suffering an injury to her face early in the match-up. Junior Tylee Fox also had an excellent outing for the Knights, rattling off 12 points and dishing out multiple key assists in the affair.
Hansen, for her part, finished with six points, and served as a catalyst for much of the offense with her assertive play, taking the ball to the hole on the wing and in the post.
Benjamin Franklin drops to 3-4 overall (0-2 3A Metro) following the loss.
The Knights are back in action on Wednesday, traveling to Bourgade Catholic for a regional contest against the Golden Eagles. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30pm.
-GO KNIGHTS-
