RANDY HISNER
WZBD.com
It didn’t take long for anyone in the Heritage gym Tuesday night to figure out that the Wayne Generals were not a typical 0-3 team. They jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first two minutes of play and proceeded to dismantle the outgunned Patriots, 68-38.
The Generals’ three losses came at the hands of highly regarded Leo and two state-ranked teams, Homestead and Blackford. “You can’t ever judge them based on their record,” Heritage coach Nicole Sisson said. “They play a tough schedule against quality teams.”
“I have a lot of respect for them,” she added. “They’re very physical. Their size is definitely a factor, and they can shoot from outside too.”
The Generals’ inside game came mostly from 6-2 Layla Williams, who scored 13 points and blocked several shots, and senior power forward Khalise Collins, who scored 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting, nearly all of her buckets coming on drives and post moves.
Senior guard Sydney Gorman provided the outside game, hitting six of her 15 three-point attempts to take game scoring honors with 18 points. The 5-8 Gorman used her size and athleticism to shoot at will against the smaller Heritage guards. Forward Davianna Irons gave the Generals four players in double digits, scoring 13 points, including seven of eight from the free throw line.
The Patriots (0-3) didn’t go down without a fight. Sisson called time out after that game-opening 8-0 Wayne onslaught, and the Pats responded by matching the Generals 10-10 the rest of the quarter to make it 18-10. Freshman point guard Trinitee Brown started the Heritage surge with a three from the left side of the top of the key, and Grace Guenthner added an old-fashioned three-point play. The Patriots also got a short jumper from Audra Bickel and a putback from Olivia Lybarger.
But the Generals broke it open in the second quarter, outscoring Heritage 23-9 to more than double the Patriots’ total for a 41-19 halftime lead. Gorman and Irons, each with nine points in the period, provided most of the firepower. The Wayne pressure defense forced Heritage to turn the ball over seven times in the period.
A 17-8 third-quarter edge extended Wayne’s lead to 58-27. Heritage, aided by four points from Danica Fuller and a three-pointer from Kaydence Wallace, took the fourth quarter, 11-10.
The Patriots have a size disadvantage against most opponents. Among their regulars, only Guenthner and Bickel, both at 5-9, stand taller than 5-6. Sisson noted that her players need to fight for position to compete against taller rivals. “We’ve got to do a better job of boxing out,” she said. “We’ve really got to commit to that.”
Guenthner paced the Patriots with 12 points. Brown, who hit two of five three-point attempts, added 11. Fuller had five, Bickel and Wallace four apiece.
Wayne easily won the JV game, 39-11.
Heritage will host Bellmont this Saturday.