Cardinal used a team effort to defeat visiting Richmond Heights on Wednesday, 62-45. The Huskies also snapped a three-game losing skid.
“Last week was a tough week for us as we battled the flu bug, injuries, poor shooting, and some stiff competition to make it three losses in a row,” said Cardinal coach Luke Kruse. “A double-digit win gives us some confidence and reminded the girls that when they play smart, focused, and together, they can have a lot of fun out there.”
The Huskies snuck out of Richmond Heights with a two-point win back in December. Things weren’t as tight the second time around as Cardinal dominated from start to finish.
“Last time we played Richmond Heights, we won, but were unsatisfied with how we played,” Kruse said. “We had a much better team effort tonight on our home floor and executed the game plan nicely. It was a great feeling for the girls to have a game where we made some jump shots, forced some turnovers, and got over 60 points.”
Cardinal took control of the game midway through the first quarter and took a 19-11 lead into the second. The Huskies increased their advantage to 31-17 at halftime and used a 22-point third quarter to push the lead to 53-24 heading into the final eight minutes of play.
Hanna Traggiai led the Huskies with an 18-point game and Camille Cummins pulled down a season-high 20 rebounds to go along with her 12 points.
“(Traggiai) has been playing with a spark the last couple games and her shots were falling for her tonight,” Kruse said. “Camille had a season-high 20 rebounds and gave us multiple chances to score with her offensive rebounds.”
Adriana Naples also scored in double figures for the Huskies.
“She has had a real nice stretch of games and finished with 11 points, her season high,” Kruse said. “It’s great to see her playing with a lot of poise and confidence lately. She has been extremely focused in practice and the results are evident in the games.”
The Huskies improved to 10-8 overall and 4-6 in the Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division.
“We’re down to four regular season games left and I hope the girls can replicate the teamwork and effort they had tonight,” Kruse said. “I’m excited for the home stretch.”
Cardinal hosts Fairport Harding on Saturday.
