(ST. LOUIS, MO) The best way to define the St. Louis Surge’s output so far this season would be, “So very good!”
The local rep of the Global Women’s Basketball Association (GWBA) zapped the Chicago Breeze 130-38 at Fontbonne University’s Mabee Gymnasium Saturday night that kept their season unblemished (6-0).
The game was highlighted by seven of the Surge’s nine competing players scoring double digits as play from the post performed at optimum levels.
The starting five of Rebecca Harris, Brittany Carter, Kelsey McClure, Alisia Jenkins and Brianna Rollerson set the tone early with a 12-0 start out of the gates, punctuated by Carter’s three-pointer four minutes in.
The theme of Surge treys continued as the quarter progressed as Harris netted a trifecta by herself within the frame. The veteran’s final long-range bomb with 1:30 left in the quarter extended the Surge’s lead to 29-6.
Late buckets by Erin Bollmann, Kristi Bellock and Leah Cotton resulted in the Surge’s 35-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter was highlighted by a continuation of strong defensive play. St. Louis went on a 20-0 rally during a five-minute stretch. McClure, Harris and Jenkins collected multiple lay-ups off of turnovers to propel the streak and Jenkins’ 14-foot jumper made with 1:45 remaining in the half finished the run that saw the score widen to 61-11.
The Surge outscored the Breeze 33-7 in the second frame and sported a 68-15 lead at intermission.
The third quarter saw the differential widen as the Surge’s 23-7 output in the ten-minute window pushed their lead to 91-22 heading into the final quarter.
Alexa Hart’s two-pointer made in the opening minute of the fourth quarter extended St. Louis’ winning differential to over 70 points, 93-22, and as the time ticked away, the margin widened.
The Surge hit triple-digits in the scoring column as Cotton collected a bucket off of a foul with 7:30 left and claimed the extra point from the stripe that pushed the score to 102-25.
Then within a three-minute stretch, Carter posted another pair of three-pointers while Bellock added a trey of her own. With 4:15 left in the game, the Surge sported a 118-27 lead.
Down the stretch, St. Louis converted free throws off of fouls that padded the stats. On the night, the Surge was 24-27 (88.8%) from the charity stripe.
The Surge outscored the Breeze 39-16 in the final frame to post the 130-38 victory that resulted in their sixth straight win.
Both Rollerson and Jenkins topped Surge scoring with 20 points apiece followed by Harris’ 18.
St. Louis meets defending GWBA champ Wisconsin Glo for a pair of games next weekend in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The Surge leads the GWBA standings with a 4-0 record while the Glo sits second at 3-1. Saturday’s meeting at Menominee National Arena will be an exhibition while Sunday’s game at the same venue will apply to the GWBA standings. The Surge holds a 1-0 edge over the Glo in sanctioned play.
The Surge finish their season with a home twin bill at Fontbonne August 7-8.
For more information, go to the team’s official website.
INDIVIDUAL SCORING: Jenkins 20, Rollerson 20, Harris 18, Carter 17, Cotton 15, Bellock 13, Bollmann 13, McClure 9, Hart 5.
