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This Halloween, all the treats were kept for Santa Fe while the opposing teams were dealt with all the tricks. Both the men and women of Santa Fe College basketball overcame struggles to finish their games by wide margins.
For the men, the game was never in doubt. Guard Morris Marshall sparked the Saints offense with 19 points in the first half, yet Santa Fe kept Impact Academy in the game by fouling early and often. Twelve of Impact’s 26 points in the first half were earned on the line.
Once the defense tightened up, the Saints took the ball into transition constantly and they widened the margin significantly. Aside from Morris Marshall, offensive leaders included guard Michael Sanchez and forward Brandon Williams.
The final score was 85-57. The men will be back in action today at noon against Victory Rock Academy.
As for the women, their struggles came late in the game. In the beginning, the Saints jumped to an early double-digit lead and never let it go. Deja McPhee led all scorers in the first half with 17 points and got one of Santa Fe’s five steals in the first half. The defense never gave an edge to IMG for 35 minutes.
It was at the end of the game when Santa Fe let up and got careless, which led to IMG’s late surge. The Saints were already up big though so it did not reflect in the final score.
Final score was 85-65.The women will also be playing today. As soon as the men finish up, they will be taking on Miami-Dade College.
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After both games, we were able to speak to Santa Fe’s head coaches.
Head coach of the men’s team Chris Mowry said, “Morris Marshall had a really good night for us shooting the ball. He is a very good player for us.”
While recapping the game, he said his team was playing better when they were not fouling. “When we did not foul, I thought our defense was pretty good. We fouled way too much in the first half.”
Coach Mowry finished his thoughts with how much depth his team has. “I think maybe we’ve got a first eight or nine guys but the other guys are able to step in, shoot the ball and score inside.”
Head coach of the women’s team Chanda Stebbins thought it was great to open the season with a win. “It’s always nice to open up with a win. I think we teetered out there towards the end, but it’s nice to open up with a win.”
She was adamant about the importance of good defense, ” Well, defense intensity I think is one of the keys to winning championships.”
Her final comments displayed her excitement with her new local talent. “It’s so exciting. You know Tanesha, Sonya, and Brianca; their energy is endless because they are not burned out.”
For full audio clips of the above quotes and more, click below:
Mowry gives his take on Impact Academy
Marshall and defense helped the team win
Mowry wants to play in transition
Mowry talks about his team’s depth
Stebbins is glad to get the win
Stebbins thinks defense is most important
She is thankful they won after poor defense at the end
