The Head-Royce girls varsity basketball team won the rebounding battle 59-32 at Woodland Christian on Saturday, but 23 turnovers proved too much in a 47-40 loss that dropped the Jayhawks to 22-5.
Head-Royce started quickly. Abigail K. scored the first basket off an assist from Morgan R., and after a Woodland Christian 3-pointer by B. B. made it 3-2, Elena K. answered with a two and a 3-pointer for a 7-3 lead. Woodland Christian closed to 7-6 before the Jayhawks ran off eight straight points. Abigail K. scored twice, and Elena K. and Melina M. added baskets in the run, which pushed the lead to 15-6, the largest of the game for Head-Royce.
Woodland Christian chipped away. T. H. made two free throws and a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 15-11, and the Jayhawks stayed in front on baskets by Morgan R. and Kalia K. A free throw by Morgan R. made it 20-16 before S. S. scored on a putback, and Head-Royce took a 20-18 lead into halftime.
The game turned early in the second half. Woodland Christian extended its run to 7-0, taking a 21-20 lead on a 3-pointer and adding a K. M-L. basket off a turnover for 23-20. Head-Royce tied it twice, at 23-23 on a free throw by Morgan R. and at 25-25 on a Leila H. basket. B. B. then hit a 3-pointer that put Woodland Christian ahead for good at 28-25. After Leila H. scored to make it 28-27, K. M-L. and B. B. hit back-to-back 3-pointers, the second off a turnover, for a 34-27 lead. The Jayhawks got within three at 39-36 on a Leila H. putback and a Morgan R. basket off a turnover, and again at 42-38 when Morgan R. scored off another takeaway. S. S. answered with two straight baskets to build the largest lead of the game at 46-38, and Woodland Christian closed it out from there.
Morgan R. led Head-Royce with a double-double of 10 points and 20 rebounds, seven of them offensive, to go with five blocks and three assists. Elena K. scored 10 points with two 3-pointers and added seven rebounds and three assists. Abigail K. also scored 10 points, making 5 of 10 shots, and grabbed six rebounds. Melina M. pulled down 13 rebounds and had three assists and two steals, and Leila H. added six points.
The Jayhawks shot 29.3 percent (17 of 58) from the field, while Woodland Christian shot 25.4 percent (17 of 67) but made 9 of 33 from 3-point range, compared with 2 of 17 for Head-Royce. Woodland Christian recorded 14 steals, six of them by K. M-L., who led all scorers with 19 points. Head-Royce collected 23 offensive rebounds but turned them into only two second-chance points, while Woodland Christian scored 12. B. B. added nine points, 12 rebounds and four assists for Woodland Christian.
Head-Royce is now 22-5 on the season.