CLAYMONT – Bridget Malloy scored 31 points in three quarters of action as Archmere’s transition game proved too tough in a 65-38 girls basketball win over MOT Charter on Jan. 23 at Moglia Fieldhouse. It was the Auks’ second consecutive win.
Malloy (St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Glen Mills, Pa.) scored on a layup seconds after the opening tip in a preview of things to come. Anaya Mungin hit a three-pointer to put the Auks on top, 5-2, and Malloy also added a three, but for the most part, the Auks pounded the ball down low against the Mustangs. Malloy did much of the damage, scoring 14 of the team’s 21 points.
MOT Charter struggled to get the ball past halfcourt for much of the first, but when they did, they shot the ball fairly well. They stayed close to Archmere thanks to three three-pointers, including two from Sydney Ndario.
Ellie DeLuca and Maddie Benson (Incarnation Parish, Mantua Twp., N.J.) scored early in the second to push the lead into double digits, where it would remain for the rest of the game except for a few seconds in the latter stages of the first half. After Bianca Aikins cut the Auks’ lead to 29-21, Archmere scored the final eight points before the break, with Malloy getting six of them, all from in close.
The Auks continued their run after halftime, putting up the first 10 points to stretch the lead to 26. The run concluded with a transition layup for Benson as Archmere repeatedly turned rebounds on the defensive end into long assists.
The Auks’ starters spent the final eight minutes cheering on their teammates. A three-pointer for Sofia Hoffman early in the quarter got an enthusiastic reaction, as did one for Sara Boyer. The third and final Archmere field goal of the quarter belonged to Juliet Polsky.
Benson finished with eight points, and Mungin had seven. The Auks (4-7) are right back at it on Friday, visiting St. Georges at 4 p.m.
For the Mustangs, Oluwatola Taiwo led the way with 14, and Natalie Flowers added 11. MOT Charter fell to 4-5 and plays again Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Caesar Rodney.
Photos by Mike Lang.
