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Mitchell Ends Wesley Chapel's Win Streak

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By LEE DIEKEMPER

Tribune correspondent

Published: January 10, 2009

WESLEY CHAPEL - Even in the days leading up to the Wildcats' home game against Mitchell on Friday, Wesley Chapel coach Karim Nohra expressed amazement that his team was still undefeated despite losing the services of post player Janelle Mills and her double-digit scoring and rebounding average.
Nohra may have seen the end to Wesley Chapel's win streak coming because the lack of Mills was clear. Mitchell took advantage of her absence scoring many buckets inside to hand the Wildcats their first loss of the season 50-35 at Wesley Chapel.

Seemingly each time down the floor the Mustangs attacked the basket, or used some nice ball movement to create backdoor cuts for easy buckets.

But despite Mills' void - Nohra hopes to have her back by the end of the month pending another examination on her broken wrist midweek - Mitchell coach Jacob Tavo claimed not only did he not have a specific game plan, but also he wasn't trying to flaunt Wesley Chapel's shortcomings.

"They were playing so high up you have to take advantage of what they give you," Tavo said. "The opportunities came tonight and we took advantage."

The advantage was Mitchell's inside play.

"Height is always an advantage," said Hanna Bernard, Mitchell's closest player to a center at 5-foot-11. "Boxing out is a big deal."

It didn't hurt Mitchell's cause when Wesley Chapel turned ice cold just when it was trying to mount a late rally.

After falling behind by double digits early, Wesley Chapel roared back within 13 at 43-30 on a layup by Gabrielle Brown midway through the fourth. But after forcing a turnover the Wildcats suddenly seemed in a trance, missing six consecutive shots inside on the same possession.

"We fell asleep," Nohra said. "We couldn't buy a basket, we couldn't press, we couldn't play defense."

Hannah Noble's 3-point basket narrowed the gap to 44-33 with just less than four minutes remaining but that was the last gasp of the Wesley Chapel rally.

The winning streak "has to be over sometime and I'm glad it's off my shoulders to be honest with you," Nohra said. "I was extremely shocked we were still undefeated. Am I pleased we are 14-1? Absolutely. Did I expect to continue the win streak? Nah."

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