Kennedy’s Girls Run and Gun Their Way to 71

The Van Nuys High Wolves had a chance Friday to bring the 70-game Valley 4-A League win streak of the Kennedy girls’ basketball team crashing down. Timber!

Had Van Nuys won, its team might have been known hereafter as the Timber Wolves.

Instead, the team is merely another statistic--No. 71

After leading Kennedy at halftime, the ax got heavy in Van Nuys’ hands. The Wolves became wheezing spectators of the Cougars’ fast break and lost, 62-41, at Van Nuys.

For a while, it appeared Van Nuys (0-1 in league and 7-1 overall) didn’t know it was supposed to lose.

The Wolves, who moved up from 3-A this season, had won every preleague game and were simply going about their business in the first half. Kennedy who? The Cougars begged the question in the first quarter when they made only two of 10 shots and trailed, 10-5.

The second period didn’t go much better for Kennedy (1-0 and 9-2) and Van Nuys led at the half, 22-19, behind strong inside play by forward Jeannie Washington. Washington had eight points and seven rebounds.

Kennedy took the lead by outscoring Van Nuys, 20-6, in the third quarter on several transition baskets by guards Stacy Parson and Wyndee Bailey.

“We decided at halftime to do what we do best,” Kennedy Coach Craig Raub said.

A clue to what Kennedy does best is printed on Raub’s T-shirt: “Run and Gun,” it reads, and a pair of pistols punctuate the point.

One of the guns must represent Parson, Kennedy’s All-City guard. After being held scoreless in the first quarter, she finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds, both highs for the game. She made 11 of 19 shots, most from outside.

“I encourage the fast break,” Raub said. “Anyone can run, but it is difficult to run with discipline. The T-shirt reminds us of our transition game, which I love. If the fast break wasn’t allowed, I probably wouldn’t coach.”

Said Parson: “At halftime we said it was time to get started. We expected a tough game, but figured we would come back.”

The fourth quarter was much like the third. Bailey made a steal and layup the first time Van Nuys brought the ball down the floor and Parsons did the same thing on Van Nuys’ next possession.

Washington scored eight more points in the second half and Van Nuys’ center Shawn Price added seven, but Kennedy matched every Van Nuys’ basket with two of its own. All-City forward Diane Decree, who was held scoreless in the first half, had 10 points in the second half for Kennedy.

Van Nuys outrebounded Kennedy, 17-13, in the first half but the Cougars turned those numbers around after halftime, outrebounding the Wolves, 22-10. Kennedy center Shelley Mercer, in the lineup because regular starter Debbie Jones is still slowed by a leg injury and played sparingly, had seven rebounds and 10 points.

“Our bench strength is a real plus,” Raub said. “Shelley replaced Debbie in the Simi tournament a couple weeks ago and made the all-tournament team.”

KENNEDY--Decree 10; Grooms 4; Mercer 10; Parson 26; Bailey 6; Rush 1; Jones 5.

VAN NUYS--Washington 16; Montes 6; Price 11; Patten 2; Tillis 6.