Against St. Anne’s-Belfield’s press, you can’t let up. In fact, you can hardly breathe.
“That’s all we’ve been talking about all week leading up to this game is that we have to be able to withstand the pressure,” said Covenant coach Rock Watson. “You can’t relax. As soon as you relax that’s when they pounce on you.”
The Eagles couldn’t counter the STAB press and fell 73-44 to the Saints Tuesday night, with an explosive offensive night from Jayla Davis leading the attack.
Davis poured in 28 points while shooting 12-of-17 from the floor as she continues to become one of the area’s most complete players. Davis flashed an ability to control opposing defenders, including a hesitation move from the wing where the Sacred Heart-bound senior slowed to nearly a walk on the break, then burst past her defender with an aggressive move to the basket.
“It’s mostly that I have to get aggressive more and get ready for college and that means I have to to come to play every night,” Davis said.
Davis had five of the Saints’ 20 team steals and also grabbed seven rebounds. She created all kinds of havoc in the press along with Bri Tinsley who nabbed five steals and Jovia Winkey who snagged four.
“Our team is mostly about defense and so once we get the momentum flowing with our pressure we all get the energy to go out there and play hard,” Davis said.
Tinsley had a big night with 22 points, six assists, five steals and three rebounds. Sierra Smith also filled up the stat sheet with eight points, 14 rebounds, four steals and three blocks. Smith face the tough task of battling with Covenants Emily Maupin inside, though the backcourt’s work in the press prevented Covenant from getting into the halfcourt offense most of the night and try to work the ball inside to Maupin. Smith’s work on the boards also helped prevent a lot of second chance opportunities for the Eagles that Covenant and Maupin in particular have become particularly proficient at over the years.
The Eagles struggled in the opening couple of minutes but then seemed to get on track and trailed by just three at the end of the first quarter. Then the Saints turned up the intensity from there and Covenant struggled to respond, though Sarah Meakem scored 22 points including four 3-pointers. Maupin finished with 19 points, nearly all of it from the field. For a stretch midway through the first quarter and on into the second, Covenant’s offense did get going.
“You have to attack the press,” Watson said. “We did that, then they got out of it and their halfcourt press is the same thing. As soon as the swarm comes (it’s tough).”
STAB faces a big test Friday when the Saints welcome St. Catherine’s to town for an LIS battle between two of the league’s top teams. Covenant meanwhile
