Brookfield’s rapid start sets pace for a 69-38 TAC victory

Morgan Bonekovic scored 23 points for the Warriors.

By RYAN JONES

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

BROOKFIELD — An efficient zone press stifled the Hubbard High girls basketball team’s offense early and often as Brookfield outscored the Eagles 22-4 in the first quarter en route to a 69-38 victory between the Trumbull Athletic Conference.

The Warriors held an 8-0 lead two minutes into the opening frame after Kodi Brenner scored a lay-up on an out of bounds play that forced Hubbard to take a timeout.

The break in the action did little to slow Brookfield’s pressure. A free throw by Brenner, followed by three steals that led to fast break lay-ups, and a short jumper by Morgan Bonekovic put the Warriors in front 17-3 with 3:38 remaining in the first.

Brookfield coach Shawn Hammond said his team’s press is most effective when turnovers lead to easy baskets.

“The key for us was that once we created the turnovers we converted on the other end,” he said. “If you’re not converting turnovers into points you can end up tiring out and the press can work against you. We thought we had an advantage in size and wanted to push the tempo from the start tonight.”

Bonekovic, a 6-foot-1 senior, shouldered the scoring load for Brookfield and tallied 14 of her game-high 23 points in the first half.

Hammond said its no secret that his team runs a lot of plays for Bonekovic in the post.

“We find a lot of success when we get her [Bonekovic] the ball,” he said. “She opens up a lot of other options once teams start keying on her. I’ve told our team that we will only go as far as our guards take us.

“We can’t be one dimensional because there have been times when she [Bonekovic] has scored plenty of points but we have failed to win.”

Brookfield got strong performances from backcourt mates Kodi Brenner (14 points) and Kelly Jones (12 points). Brenner led the Warriors with five steals and Jones dished out nine assists.

Hammond said he has made an effort to get more players into his rotation this season.

“We want to spread the scoring around,” he said. “Lauren Gentile did a great job scoring in the post the when Morgan went out with her third foul in the third quarter.”

Hubbard showed some life in the third period as the Eagles outscored the Warriors 12-8, but were unable to string together a run to get back in the game.

“We played a little sloppy,” Hammond said of the third period. “That’s something we have to work on: closing out quarters and games when we are in control of them. We turned the ball over and missed too many lay-ups in the third quarter.”

Cara Julian led Hubbard with 14 points and hit three from downtown.

Bonekovic had 10 rebounds to go with her 23 points.