GIRLS BASKETBALL: Youthful Lake Orion Baptist pulls away from Rochester Hills Christian
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
LAKE ORION — As young teams go, Lake Orion Baptist might be a work-in-progress. But for a team that starts three freshmen and a sophomore and boasts just one senior in its starting five, the Lions are coming along despite its youth movement.
Lake Orion Baptist outworked another foe Tuesday to remain in the league title chase. The Lions never trailed visiting Rochester Hills Christian and came away with a 36-23 triumph over the four-time defending Fundamental Baptist Athletic Conference Red Division champion Eagles.
Lake Orion Baptist (7-2, 6-1) sits one game behind league leader Davison Faith Baptist.
“This wasn’t one of our better games, actually. We did not shoot the ball well and execute our offense,” said 13th-year head coach Janet Noruk. “But that’s going to happen. We have such a young team. I don’t think in all of my years of coaching that I’ve had three freshmen in the starting lineup. Most of our team is ninth and 10th graders. It’s probably the youngest team we’ve ever had here at the school.”
While senior point guard McKenzie Cameron is the straw that stirs the Lions’ drink — she scored two points with five steals and five rebounds against the Eagles — it is underclassmen doing the bulk of the scoring for Lake Orion Baptist.
Freshman guard Keegan Cameron, McKenzie’s youngest sister, led Lake Orion Baptist with 13 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and three assists, while 5-foot-11 sophomore forward Allison Streetman was a workhorse in the paint, scoring eight while corralling a career-high 24 rebounds in the win.
Freshman forward Jessie Noruk had five points and 12 rebounds, while freshman forward Lauren Brundage supplied eight points and eight rebounds for Lake Orion Baptist, which hammered the Eagles on the boards, 61-27.
‘I thought we rebounded well,” added Noruk. “We always hustled out there. We’ll get better shooting in the future. But overall I can’t complain. We’re 7-2 and we’re (in second place in the league).”
Rochester Hills Christian is suffering through a major rebuilding campaign. The Eagles graduated six players and had another player depart via transfer to Rochester Adams.
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“When you graduate as many players as we did, at such a small school, you’re going to have a rebuilding year,” admitted Rochester Hills Christian coach Rick Parker. “We are working hard and trying. Tonight the shots were not falling, but the girls never quit. We’ll get better. It’s going to take time. We don’t have many players that saw a lot of time (on varsity) last season.”
Lake Orion Baptist led 20-4 at the half. Rochester Hills Christian went on an 11-6 third-quarter run and closed to within 11 points late in the stanza. The Eagles could not climb closer than 11 points the rest of the way.
Sophomore Cayla Carr scored 10 with 10 rebounds, seven blocks, five steals and two assists for the Eagles. Freshman guard Chloe Connelly scored 11 with five steals for RHC (3-9, 2-5).
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