OAKLAND, Calif. Head-Royce scored the first 20 points of the game and forced 40 turnovers as the Jayhawks beat Redwood Christian 43-16 on Thursday, Dec. 5, and improved to 2-1 on the season.
The Jayhawks took control from the opening tip. Leila H. scored the game's first basket, and Morgan R. took over from there, scoring eight points during the opening stretch and assisting on three more baskets. Leila H. made a 3-pointer off a turnover for an 11-0 lead, and Elena K. finished the 20-0 run with a basket off a pass from Morgan R. Redwood Christian answered with back-to-back baskets from M. C. and H. W. off turnovers, but Head-Royce never trailed and the game was never tied.
Kalia K. scored twice off the bench to make it 26-6, and Redwood Christian cut the gap to 26-9 on a basket and a free throw by Liliana F. Head-Royce then scored nine straight points. Second-chance baskets by Morgan R. and Missgana B. made it 30-9 after one quarter, and Morgan R. opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer and a basket, both off turnovers, for a 35-9 lead. After a Liliana F basket, the Jayhawks added a 6-0 run on baskets by Emmy M. and Kalia K., who scored twice, for a 41-11 halftime lead, their biggest of the game at 30 points.
The second half was much quieter. Redwood Christian scored the first four points of the third quarter on baskets by R. Y. and M. C., and Kalia K. answered with a basket off a turnover for a 43-15 lead. Liliana F made a free throw for the only other points of the quarter, and neither team scored in the fourth.
Morgan R. led Head-Royce on both ends with 15 points on 7-of-16 shooting, 12 rebounds (10 offensive), four assists, four steals and two blocks. Kalia K. added 10 points on 5-of-10 shooting off the bench. Abigail K. finished with five points, three steals and two assists, and Leila H. also scored five points. Elena K. had four points, four rebounds and four steals, and Missgana B. pulled down five rebounds.
The Jayhawks shot 29.4 percent (20 of 68) from the field, but their defense and work on the glass made up the difference. Head-Royce had 18 steals and scored 18 points off turnovers, while Redwood Christian made only 6 of its points off 30 Jayhawk turnovers. Head-Royce won the rebounding battle 45-29, grabbed 31 offensive rebounds and scored 10 second-chance points. The bench added 12 points. Redwood Christian shot 18.9 percent (7 of 37) and missed all three of its 3-point attempts. Liliana F led the visitors with six points and six rebounds, and M. C. and H. W. scored four points each.
Head-Royce, now 2-1 and on a one-game winning streak, hosts Athenian on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.