The Maplewood girls basketball program is in a different place than the Rocky Grove Oriole girls. The winless Orioles, under the leadership of first-year coach Brad Clayton, are in the process of learning the basic fundamentals of basketball. They building. The Tigers are a perennial playoff team with a 9-3 record and, yes, also a new head coach, Shawn Rhoades. But the program is established with top multi-sport athletes and players with playoff experience.
 | Monday's matchup started off pretty sloppy for both teams. Control of the ball was in question several times and both teams struggled to score. Rocky Grove struggled to even get shots off and Maplewood players seemed to miss wide-open jumpers and layups. But the Tigers settled down and built a 14-0 lead after the first quarter. They seemed to evenly spread scoring around, no one taking charge over all, but each contributing. By halftime, eight different players scored. The Grove didn't score until there was only 1:20 left in the half when Rae Montgomery took an inbound pass under the hoop and laid it in. She added a pair of free throws to go into halftime down 30 points. |
| Clayton spent his time on pointing out the positives and teaching all night long despite the lopsided game. "Good idea" he yelled even though no one was in the area to receive an errant pass. He then calmly explained to another player why they should have been where the ball had sailed out of bounds. |  |
On Maplewood's bench, Rhoades had an easier time of it. His team played tenacious defense stealing the ball at will and often having clear paths for layups. Though Wood's shooting percentage had to be low Monday night, they out-rebounded the Orioles. They still managed to score 52 points when it was all said and done and the running clock mercifully ended the game with Rocky only scoring nine.
Montgomery led the Orioles with six points and was joined by a three-pointer early in the third quarter by Jalynne Konetsky. The Orioles were unable to score in the first or fourth quarters.
Wood was led by Rhae Lynn Khoele with 10 points. Maggie Means, a freshman, dominated the last few minutes of the first half scoring six. She ended with eight on the night. Alana Kelly, Madison Eimer and Madison O'Hara each had six.
The Orioles did manage to keep 5'9" 2022 Region Player of the Year forward and career 1,000 point scorer Sadie Thomas at bay with only four points on the night.
Next up for Maplewood will be Saegertown on Thursday at home and then on the road to Harbor Creek for a Saturday afternoon game.
Rocky Grove will be on the road headed to Union Saturday morning and then host Youngsville on Jan. 19.
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