New Oxford girls snap losing skid in Red Lion
New Oxford coach Jim Kunkle could be heard barking the same instruction over and over to his girls’ basketball team throughout the Colonials’ 48-38 victory at Red Lion on Friday night.
He kept repeating the same word, patience.
Each half-court set looked similar for New Oxford in this regard: The Colonials spread the floor, from corner to corner, five players in motion passing the ball.
One of the preseason favorites to win the league entering the season, with all five starters returning to the lineup from the year before, New Oxford entered the night in an odd situation. They had lost two straight after falling to Northern Lebanon (one of the top teams in the Lancaster-Lebanon League) and YAIAA Division I front-runner Central York.
But it never showed.
“I think the biggest thing coming off two tough losses to two really good teams, we regrouped and focused,” Kunkle said. “We knew we had to come out here and do our job and make a statement.”
Looking to work as a team, the Colonials had five players score between five and 11 points, with Haley Still taking home team-high honors with 11 points.
New Oxford jumped out to a 17-5 first-quarter lead, and the Colonials never really teetered.
Playing all 13 girls who dressed, Red Lion kept the game close by scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter after failing to crack double figures in scoring during the first three quarters. Red Lion’s Amy Maciejewski led all scorers with 12 points.
New Oxford, which likes to run, unveiled a couple new wrinkles in its offense tonight. And perhaps, the team that likes to run will have a different look to show opponents in the second half.
“Everyone knows we like to run, but we’re trying to slow things down,” Kunkle said.