If basketball games were decided solely on effort and grit, Norwin might have played Hempfield to a near-draw in Friday's Section 1-AAAA matchup.
Unfortunately for the Knights, of course, games are based on who scores the most points.
The Knights put up a good fight against the Spartans, playing solid defense and showing great hustle, but they had no match for the Spartans' offensive firepower.
With guards Lauren Bricker and Nikki Plassio contributing 18 points each, the Spartans stayed unbeaten with a 66-42 victory.
"Both teams played with a lot of effort tonight," Hempfield coach Gene Brisbane said. "That's the way this section is. You have to earn your way through."
The Spartans (11-0, 7-0) took control early with an 8-0 run to start the game. After the Knights (3-8, 1-4) got back within three points at 9-6, Hempfield put together another 8-0 spurt to take a 17-6 advantage after the first quarter.
Norwin kept things from getting out of control in the second quarter, nearly matching Hempfield point for point, going to the locker room down 34-22. However in the third, the Spartans put the game out of reach. They began a 20-3 run early in the period to take a 54-27 lead and never held an advantage of less than 21 points the rest of the way.
The Knights struggled all night from the field, scoring just 12 field goals compared to the Spartans' 26. Only two of those came from outside the paint, and the Knights put up quite a few missed layups.
"We missed too many easy shots," Norwin coach Joe Oestereich said. "You can't do that against a team like Hempfield. They've got a really nice ball team."
Bricker and Plassio were solid both offensively and defensively, forcing a number of turnovers and hitting shots from outside. Each hit two 3-pointers, part of a solid night of shooting for Hempfield.
"They really shot well tonight," Brisbane said. "And when they're shooting tougher, they can't lay in their defense on our big people. I think that's the best we've shot all season."
Norwin guard Pam Deguffroy and forward Amanda Shields tied for the team lead with 18 points.
This game serves as a tune-up for the Spartans who are in for a showdown Tuesday night when undefeated Indiana Area comes to Hempfield.
"It should be a really good game," Brisbane said. "We know after tonight we have to work on our execution on offense and defense, but Norwin had a lot to do with that. We should be well-prepared for Indiana after this game."
