Perez girls pace victory at Eaglecrest
Imani and Iliana combine for 25 points.
CENTENNIAL – It was one of those games for Mullen’s girls.
The Mustangs missed a bunch of layups, had turnover trouble and never really got into any kind of flow.
However, a younger team took another step forward on Saturday afternoon with a 44-30 victory at Eaglecrest in the Centennial League. Despite their problems, the Mustangs climbed to 8-5 overall, 3-1 in the league.
“As the team is progressing, there are some games we’re not expected to win and there are some games were expected to win,” Mustangs head coach Frank Cawley said, “but we just have to play our game and we didn’t today.”No excuses, Cawley added, but the snowstorm on Friday forced school officials to cancel all activities and the Mustangs weren’t crisp the day before; however, they fought through difficulties and matched their victory total from a season ago.
Mullen received assorted contributions from more than a half-dozen players, but none were larger than the performance off the bench by senior Iliana Perez as well as the Mustangs team defense that held the Raptors (5-8, 1-3) to only one point in the third quarter. Perez not only scored a game-high 14 points, but also scored all seven of her team’s total in the third quarter.
“It wouldn’t be possible without my teammates,” Perez said of her opportunities to regularly provide a spark off the bench. “If they don’t get me the ball, I wouldn’t be able to score. So it’s all about us together and how well we play together.”
Perez was effective from the perimeter as well as going to the basket and frequently was in the middle of the defensive effort.
Freshman Imani Perez survived early foul trouble to add 11 points and point guard Megan Pohs added nine.
And on defense, the Mustangs surrendered just 30 points for the second time this season, superseded only by the 25 they gave up in their opener.
Thirteen Mustangs saw action to keep the list of contributors long and it will be needed – two-time defending Class 5A state champion Grandview will be their hosts on Wednesday and the Wolves edged Cherry Creek 54-53 on Saturday.
“We need to be able to do a better job of being mentally tough,” Cawley said. “They’re getting it and we played through it.
“I think we’re getting good looks, but we’re rushing things. It’s not a selfish thing. We just need to execute better.”
MULLEN 44, EAGLECREST 30
Mullen 11 12 7 14 -- 44
Eaglecrest 5 9 1 15 -- 30
Mullen – Pohs 3 1-1 9, Martinez 0 2-2 2, Gallegos 1 1-3 4, Van Horn 0 0-0 0, Im. Perez 4 3-4 11, Dominguez 0 0-0 0, Il. Perez 5 2-2 14, Hart 0 0-0 0, Medina 0 1-2 1, Oswald 0 0-0 0, Oates-Stamm 1 0-0 3, Elges 0 0-0 0.Totals 14 10-14 44.
Eaglecrest – Ross 2 2-3 7, Turner 2 1-2 5, Thornton 3 0-0 6, Coleman 1 2-5 4, Dixon 1 0-0 2, Lewis 1 0-0 2, Blethen 0 1-2 1, Back 0 0-0 0, Unrein 0 0-0 0, Dickens 1 0-0 3. Totals 11 6-12 30.
3-pt. goals – Pohs 2, Il. Perez 2, Gallegos, Oates-Stamm; Dickens, Ross.
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