State Playoffs: No More Funky Town for Lady Bearcats, Who Win 70-56
After the game, Nikki Wheatley graciously handles interview requests, including this one from hard-hitting Bonita sports editor, Jared Pine.
Back home on the friendly confines of the Bonita gym hardwood, the Lady Bearcats defeated the Cathedral Catholic Dons of San Diego 70-56. Enjoying the home-cooking most were Bearcats Nikki Wheatley with a game-high 23 points and Madison Zylstra with 21 points. With the victory in the first-round of the state playoffs, Bonita all but erased the memory of its tough loss in the CIF to Orange Lutheran.
The Lutheran game was such a bad loss for us,” said Zylstra. “We just decided to put it behind us and go for State.”
Zylstra came out smoking, with eight points in the first quarter and 14 for the half, including a big three-pointer right at the end of the second period to allow Bonita to take a 32-26 lead into the locker room.
“We set more screens and got more open looks outside, and we shared the ball more,” Zlystra said.
Meanwhile, Wheatley, who had eight points in the first half, matched that total in the third quarter alone, showing the full complement of her game, leading the full-court press, stealing the ball and driving to the basket. For the game, she took an amazing 16 free-throw attempts.
Bonita coach Darren Baumunk couldn’t have been more pleased to see his stars play up to their ability than if he had been told the new Bonita gym now under construction was going to open a year earlier than expected.
It was nice to see them bounce back,” Bonita coach Darren Baumunk said. “I know they were probably not too happy about the way they played the other night so for them to come out tonight and get going and score some points was huge for them.”
“We were really eager to come out for this game and show what we could do,” Wheatley added.
Now the Bearcats will play on an even bigger stage this Thursday, again at home at 7 p.m. in the Bonita gym, so come out and see our State Championship contenders play.
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