Centennial can be less than perfect

Nick Christensen

Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2004 | 9:08 a.m.

Off to a 7-0 start and averaging a torrid 86.5 points per game this year, the Centennial girls basketball team looked as dominant as ever to start the 2004-05 season.

So regardless of whether Tuesday's 47-38 win at Green Valley was a sign of fatigue, an unraveling of the offense or just an off-night for the state's top girls basketball team, Bulldogs coach Karen Weitz wasn't too happy about it.

"I'm not happy with anything," Weitz said. "I'm not happy with the effort. I'm not happy with the way we played."

The closest game Centennial had played until then had been a 76-48 victory last week against third-ranked Reno High. But after starting out 8-for-25 from the field against Green Valley, including going 3-for-12 in the second quarter, it was looking like a long night for the Bulldogs, whose eight-point first-quarter lead was cut to 20-18 with under a minute left in the first half.

After building back to a 42-28 lead midway through the fourth quarter, Centennial went on a 1-for-7 shooting slump from the field to close the game, relying on poor shot selection by Green Valley to keep its lead.

"I don't think we ever had any momentum," Weitz said. "We certainly didn't play our game. It was dictated and controlled by them."

While Weitz was frustrated with the win, Gators coach Alma Randolph said she was pleased with her team's efforts, particularly coming a week after Green Valley lost by 24 at second-ranked Bishop Gorman.

"It feels good to take on some tough teams to see exactly where we are at this point," Randolph said. "I think we can improve, but to get out with the stronger teams, it's made us better."

Green Valley's Jabrenta Hubbard led all scorers with 20 points, but was saddled with three fouls in the first half. Centennial was led by Ashley Blake's 16 points.

Blake credited Green Valley's approach to slowing down her team's offense.

"We have to be able to run the half court," Blake said. "They didn't make us turn over the ball, we just have to finish."

Blake also said she and her teammates might have tried to play on cruise control.

"I think so, not having our heads into it ... we were just content with what we've been doing," she said. "I think we've got to have our heads into it. Any good team would have beaten us tonight."

Both teams play again tonight, with Green Valley hosting Cimarron-Memorial and Centennial playing at Rancho.