OAKLAND, Calif. Morgan R. scored 35 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, and Head-Royce answered a nine-point Cornerstone Christian run with one of its own to hold on for a 49-45 girls basketball win Saturday. It was the eighth straight win for the Jayhawks, who improved to 11-2.
Cornerstone Christian scored first and went up 5-2 on a 3-pointer by C.B., its largest lead of the day. Head-Royce answered with 12 unanswered points. Morgan R. scored eight of them, including a 3-pointer, and Abigail K. and Melina M. added baskets, Melina M.'s off a turnover, to make it 14-5. After Cornerstone Christian closed to 16-12, the Jayhawks scored the next eight points. Geneva W. L. scored on a pass from Kalia K., and Morgan R. hit a 3-pointer on a Melina M. assist to build Head-Royce's largest lead, 24-12. A C.B. 3-pointer and an L.A. basket off a turnover made it 24-17 at halftime.
Morgan R. scored the first four points after the break to push the lead to 28-17, and her second-chance basket made it 30-19. Cornerstone Christian then found its rhythm. After two Morgan R. free throws made it 32-23, the visitors scored nine straight points. K.B. scored twice, the second time off a turnover, and L.A. hit a 3-pointer off a turnover to tie the game at 32. It was the third tie of the afternoon, and Cornerstone Christian never got back in front.
The Jayhawks answered right away with an 8-0 run. Morgan R. scored on a pass from Elena K. and added a free throw, Abigail K. turned a steal into a basket and a free throw, and Morgan R. scored off another turnover to make it 40-32. Abigail K. then made two free throws and fed Morgan R. for a 44-34 lead. Cornerstone Christian cut the lead to 44-40 on a C.B. 3-pointer and a K.B. basket, both off turnovers, and later got within 46-43. Kalia K. scored on an assist from Morgan R. to make it 48-43, Melina M. added a free throw, and K.B. scored the game's final basket.
Morgan R. shot 12 of 17 from the field, 2 of 3 from 3-point range and 9 of 17 at the free-throw line, and she added four blocks, two steals and an assist. Melina M. filled the stat sheet off the bench with seven steals, three assists, five rebounds, a block and three points. Abigail K. had seven points and two assists, and Kalia K. had nine rebounds and two assists. Elena K. had six rebounds and two assists, and Ella S. had five rebounds, four of them on the offensive glass.
Head-Royce shot 44.7 percent (17 of 38) and held Cornerstone Christian to 22.2 percent (16 of 72), including 5 of 31 from 3-point range. The Jayhawks outrebounded the visitors 50-34 and blocked five shots. Turnovers kept Cornerstone Christian close. Head-Royce committed 40, and the visitors turned them into 16 points, while the Jayhawks scored 8 points off turnovers. Head-Royce also shot 13 of 27 from the line. C.B. led Cornerstone Christian with 14 points, and K.B. added 12.
Head-Royce (11-2) visits St. Joseph Notre Dame on Tuesday, Jan. 14.