OAKLAND, Calif. Morgan R. scored 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting, and the Head-Royce girls varsity basketball team beat Liberty 63-57 on Friday night to improve to 3-1. The Jayhawks controlled the glass, outrebounding Liberty 34-21 and scoring 12 second-chance points while allowing none.
Liberty started faster. Morgan R. scored on a putback for the game's first basket, but the visitors answered with a 9-0 run, seven of those points from M. C., to lead 9-2. Head-Royce cut the gap to 11-7, then took over with a 12-0 run. Morgan R. tied the game at 11 with a basket off a turnover and put the Jayhawks ahead for good on a second-chance basket assisted by Ella S. Morgan R. scored seven points in the run, and Melina M. capped it with a basket off a Leila H. assist for a 19-11 lead.
The Jayhawks pulled away with a 9-0 burst later in the half. Leila H. hit a second-chance 3-pointer, and Elena K. followed with two straight 3-pointers, both assisted by Leila H., to make it 31-15, Head-Royce's largest lead of the night. Liberty closed the half with eight straight points to trail 31-23 at the break, then opened the second half with a 3-pointer from S. S. to finish an 11-0 run and pull within 31-26.
Liberty stayed close the rest of the way but never caught up. The visitors got within three points at 39-36, 49-46 and 60-57, and Head-Royce had an answer each time. Morgan R. hit a second-chance 3-pointer and Melina M. scored to push the lead back to 44-36. Elena K. hit a 3-pointer to make it 52-46. After three free throws from S. S. cut the lead to 60-57, Elena K. made one free throw and Morgan R. made two to close it out.
Along with her 29 points, Morgan R. had nine rebounds, five assists and three steals. Elena K. scored 21 points, shot 5 of 9 from 3-point range and also grabbed nine rebounds. Melina M. added seven points on 3-of-4 shooting with five rebounds (four offensive) and three assists off the bench. Leila H. scored six points and had five assists.
Head-Royce shot 48.9 percent from the floor (23 of 47) and 9 of 20 from 3-point range, and it grabbed 14 offensive rebounds to Liberty's six. The Jayhawks left points at the line, going 8 of 22 on free throws, and committed 19 turnovers, but Liberty scored only six points off them. Liberty shot 44.7 percent and made 10 of 25 3-point attempts. S. S. led Liberty with 22 points, including five 3-pointers, and added four steals. M. C. scored 13 points and G. G. added 10.
The win was the second straight for Head-Royce, which moved to 3-1. The Jayhawks host Athenian on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.