Spartans warm up for big contest

By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
BOARDMAN -- After six consecutive victories, the Boardman High girls basketball team is raring to go for its biggest challenge of the season.
Saturday in Midland, Pa., Ron Moschella's Spartans will take on Oakland Catholic of Pittsburgh.
Thursday, the Spartans tuned up for the Stateline Challenge with a 93-30 thumping of Steel Valley Conference rival Warren Harding.
Of the Oakland game, Moschella said, "It's a challenge because they are ranked 21st in the country. Obviously, we don't have anything to lose, but we have a lot to prove to ourselves.
"It will be a good measuring stick for us. [Our] kids will compete and that's all any coach can ask for."
Bland leads way: Sophomore Amber Bland led the Spartans (6-0, 2-0 SVC) with 32 points Thursday night, including 12 in the first quarter when Boardman jumped out to a 23-10 advantage.
"We have no excuses -- that's one of the best Boardman teams I've seen," said Harding assistant coach John Lacy, filling in for P.J. Notar, who missed the game because of illness.
"As I told the kids, that's the type of ball team we want to strive to be," Lacy said.
"They're disciplined, aggressive. They hustled. Hopefully this will be a learning experience for our younger kids because they've never seen this type of pressure. It's something you just can't simulate in practice."
Bland and guards Brittany Durkin and Ashlee Russo combined to pressure the Raiders into 20 first-half turnovers as the Spartans cruised to a 47-19 lead.
In all, the Raiders (3-2, 1-1) gave the ball away 41 times.
"You win championships by defense and that's what we stress," Moschella said. "It's pretty debilitating when you have Brittany Durkin who can shut down [Sharina] Freeman.
"Then you have Amber Bland in rotation and she's nothing but arms and legs, and is hard to see over her.
"Ashlee is a seasoned veteran -- she knows what she's doing on defense," Moschella said. "I thought the big girls [Jen Hlebovy and Lauren Craig] stepped up, too."
Other scorers: Joining Bland in double figures were Hlebovy with 19, Russo with 12 and Craig with 10.
Freeman led the Raiders with 11 points.
As much as she enjoyed making 14 baskets, Bland said she treasures the steals more.
"I love pressing -- it just gives me a thrill," Bland said. "It's easier to read the passes and you're running so fast."
Russo, who has been nursing ankle and thumb injuries, said the Oakland date has provided her motivation to return.
"It's a challenge for us," the Youngstown State-bound senior said. "I wanted to be ready for that game to play against that good of a team."
As well as the Spartans have played, Bland said there's room for improvement.
"We're going to grow," Bland said. "We have high expectations."
The one flaw in Boardman's game was its outside shooting. In the first half, the Spartans missed 14 of their 17 3-point attempts.
williams@vindy.com