By Bret Strelow
bstrelow@salisburypost.com
LANDIS ó Robinson’s Carol Ann Trammell caught a baseline inbounds pass at midcourt and pitched ahead to Tabby Koerner, whose layup ended a short possession in which the ball didn’t touch the floor.
First-year South Rowan coach Jarrod Smith hopes to see his team execute with that kind of precision in the future.
Kayla Morrow and Libby Sides scored 10 points apiece to lead the Raiders, who lost 80-36 at home against Robinson on Tuesday night.
“That’s the kind of team we aspire to be in two years,” Smith said. “They have juniors, seniors who’ve been in the program for a while, and they play together. Our girls have been playing together with me as their coach for a little over a month.
“They’re talented, and they were good at every facet of the game. They pass well and shoot well. Right now we’re not passing well and not shooting well.”
Kelsee Cook, a 5-foot-11 junior guard, led Robinson with 22 points. Koerner, a 6-foot-1 senior who’s headed to Gardner-Webb, chipped in with 20. They combined for 36 of the Bulldogs’ first 41 points.
South’s shorter perimeter players struggled to pass over their taller counterparts. The Raiders (1-2) committed five turnovers before they attempted a field goal, and Cook turned several steals into transition layups.
She scored 17 points on 8-for-8 shooting in the first quarter, which ended with South trailing 26-10.
“Robinson is tall and experienced,” Smith said. “We’re short, and we’re young. All I asked them to do when they got down is to fight every possession. They fought every possession.”
Morrow scored South’s first six points, and the Bulldogs ended the quarter with a 13-0 run. Sides and Kayla Corriher (four points) were productive in the second quarter, and the Raiders faced a 39-18 deficit at the break.
Robinson outscored South by a 24-8 margin in the third quarter, and Asia Caple hit a pair of late 3-pointers for the Raiders.
“Giving up 80 points is unacceptable,” Smith said. “I don’t care if you’re playing Robinson or the Charlotte Sting. We have a lot of work to do.”
ROBINSON (80) ó K.Cook 22, Koerner 20, Bernal 9, Clark 6, Smith 6, Uttecht 5, Peay 3, Trammell 3, R.Cook 2, Eklund 2, Kacan 1, Lloyd 1.
SOUTH ROWAN (36) ó Morrow 10, Sides 10, Caple 8, Corriher 4, Barringer 2, Mabry 2, Swartz, McManus, Lookabill, Goins, Miller, Weber, Waldroup, Bost.Robinson 26 13 24 17 ó 80
S. Rowan 10 8 8 10 ó 36