For The Dialog
WILMINGTON – Padua’s basketball roster is filled with young players who were searching for a much-needed win when St. Mark’s visited on Feb. 7. The Pandas got what they were looking for in a 59-36 triumph behind a balanced offense and a stingy defense.
Freshmen Paige Kenton and Michelle Kozicki each scored four quick points to help Padua race out to a 14-4 lead. An old-fashioned three-point play cut that to 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Two quick layups from junior Camryn Scully and a corner three-pointer from Haley Scott boosted the lead to 21-9. The Pandas kept the pressure on, and Scully scored six more in the second to make it 33-16 going into the break.
Scully and the Pandas kept the pedal on the floor as they increased the lead to 41-21 on a Katie Szczerba put-back with 1:53 left in the third. Six different players scored in the final eight minutes to seal the win.
Scully, who led Padua (4-11) with 15 points, said it was important to grab the early lead.
“We had a lot of momentum,” she said. “We wanted to get a win and were really excited about playing St Mark’s. We knew we could compete with them, and we were really fired up and came out and performed in the first half.”
Kenton added 10 points for the Pandas, who are schedule to host No. 6 Concord on Thursday at 5:15 p.m., weather permitting. The Spartans (4-13) got 17 points from Kayla Wolff and seven from Angel Lorang. They host top-ranked Ursuline on Saturday night at 7.
