Home Local Sports Howard girls overwhelm Archmere in hardcourt battle

Howard girls overwhelm Archmere in hardcourt battle

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WILMINGTON – Howard came out running, taking advantage of every Archmere turnover and getting one transition bucket after another in the first half on the way to a 66-45 win in nonconference girls basketball on Feb. 4.

Ronnasia Blatch-Huggins of Howard battles Archmere’s Haley Armstrong for a rebound. (The Dialog/Mike Lang)

Na’leigha Wright and Ronnasia Blatch-Huggins led the way for the Lady Wildcats in the early going. Facing aggressive defensive pressure, the Auks committed turnovers on each of their first three possessions, and Wright turned the first one into an easy layup. The Auks’ first shot attempt was blocked by Blatch-Huggins, who outletted to Wright for a slick up-and-under field goal.

Madison Stewart got the Auks on the board with a steal and layup nearly five minutes into the first, but Blatch-Huggins answered with a three-point shot. She followed that with a layup, then a mid-range jumper. Howard’s lead was 14-4 after one.

The Lady Wildcats cranked up the offense in the second quarter. Blatch-Huggins opened the stanza with her second three, and Howard picked up a field goal from Kiyah Dale and two from Janel Washington before the half ended with the home team leading by 26.

The Auks found their offense in the second half, scoring 17 points in each of the third and fourth quarters. They were able to cut the deficit to 14, but the hole was just too deep.

Emma McCann and Haley Armstrong each scored 11 points for Archmere, whose record fell to 9-7. The Auks will try to return to the win column on Tuesday at home against MOT Charter. Tipoff is at 6:15 p.m.

For the Lady Wildcats (13-3), Blatch-Huggins led the way with 24, while Wright added 19. They travel to Brandywine on Thursday at 5:15 p.m.