Feeding off subs, Mullen beats Cougars
Reserves play key role.
AURORA -- One word about Wednesday night’s Mullen victory at Cherokee Trail.
Depth.
The Mustangs had been hoping for it, developing it and not necessarily ready to display it, but now they know it’s there.
Their hard-fought 60-54 decision improved their overall record to 7-5 – one victory shy of the past season’s total and there are 11 Centennial games remaining – and 2-1 in the loop.
Basically, they opened up a sub shop and cleaned up.
“I think the thing I was most impressed with was this was the first time the whole, entire team showed some composure,” Mullen head coach Frank Cawley said.
He wasn’t kidding. The Mustangs trailed early and often (the first quarter ended in a 14-6 deficit), so Cawley didn’t blink – he benched starters Megan Pohs, Elian Martinez, Gracie Gallegos, Haley Van Horn and Imani Perez. First player off the bench Alexa Dominguez also sat down for a bit. Entering as the next five were Grace Oswald, Jordyn Medina, Colleen Hart, Abby Webster 0 0-0 0 and Makenna Elges. Not far behind were Iliana Perez, Jessica Oates-Stamm and Demitra Loukopoulos.
It worked. Mullen trailed only 25-20 at halftime, took over in the third quarter and successfully fended off the Cougars (7-4), who also suffered their first league loss in three outings.
“I need the girls on the bench to know I have confidence in them,” Cawley said.
Pohs, all-league a season ago as a freshman point guard, said there were no problems with leaving the floor early.
“I think it was a good thing he took us out and we kind of regrouped together,” she said. “We started slow when he sat us and we got our game back. That was really good.”
So was Pohs, who led the team with 17 points, 13 in the second half. Iliana Perez added a much-needed 13.
But the big segments and instances abounded throughout the roster. Pohs and Gallegos each turned in three-point plays at key times. While 6-foot-2 freshman Imani Perez had gotten into foul trouble, she actually played well and made 7-of-9 free throws for nine points. Iliana Perez had two interesting stretches, one in which she helped to break the press and breezed theorugh the Cougars’ defense for an awkward layup under pressure; another when she rattled home a 3-pointer.
Martinez contributed eight points and Dominguez, defended, rebounded and battled inside. And Gallegos added nine points.
“We were able to battle through some stuff. Iliana really is a spark off the bench and it was bold,” Cawley said of subbing five-for-five. “Our starters weren’t ready. But the composure by the whole team was big for us in a tough game against a tough, physical team.
“It was a true team win all the way around.”
The second of four consecutive road games will be Saturday, Jan. 12, 1 p.m., at Eaglecrest in Centennial.
MULLEN 60, CHEROKEE TRAIL 54
Mullen 6 14 19 21 -- 60
Cherokee Trail 14 11 8 21 – 54
Mullen – Pohs 5 5-5 17, Martinez 3 0-0 8, Gallegos 2 5-9 9, Van Horn 1 0-0 2, Im. Perez 1 7-9 9, Dominguez 0 0-0 0, Oswald 1 0-2 2, Medina 0 0-0 0, Hart 0 0-0 0, Webster 0 0-0 0, Elges 0 0-0 0, Il. Perez 5 2-2 13, Oates-Stamm 0 0-0 0, Loukopoulos 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 19-27 60.
Cherokee Trail – Rodriguez 5 6-6 17, Paulk 7 2-4 16, Hemingway 6 4-6 19, Neyland 0 2-4 2, Fason 0 0-2 0, Pare 0 0-0 0, Collins 0 0-0 0, Singleton 0 0-0 0, Villegas 0 0-0 0, Culbreath 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 14-22 54.
3-pt. goals – Pohs 2, Martinez 2, Il. Perez; Hemingway 3, Rodriguez.
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