Friday night’s second quarter was a first for Glenelg girls basketball and one it hopes isn’t replicated again this season.
The bad news: The Gladiators went scoreless in the second quarter. The good news: Marriotts Ridge didn’t fare much better, scoring just one point in the frame.
Despite being unable to take the lid off the basket, the Gladiators maintained a 10-point halftime advantage in large part because of their tenacious defense and the Mustangs’ turnover woes. While the defense stayed locked in throughout, the offense caught up after the break.
Senior MJ Dabiri was the tone setter for that shift. Dabiri caught the ball on the move on Glenelg’s opening second-half possession and aggressively maneuvered for a layup 11 seconds into the second half. She added two more baskets in quick succession as Glenelg left its drought behind and orchestrated a dominant 22-point third quarter that powered it to a commanding 44-17 win.
“I think it’s us coming out of a slump,” Dabiri said. “All of us, I feel like we were asleep in the first half. As a dominant player on the team, I feel like as my energy is coming up, it’s my goal to get to the rack and stop shooting the ball and do what I’m strongest at.
“It’s the [mentality] of, ‘Nobody can stop us, simple.’ Once that first basket, that first 3-pointer or that first and-one goes in, I feel like that momentum is strong. If we keep passing the ball and keep cutting, nobody can stop us.”
While Glenelg’s offense caught fire, its defense kept Marriotts Ridge stymied. The Gladiators’ length and reactiveness defensively forced numerous turnovers and created opportunities for extra possessions.
Senior Emmy Dello Russo was the anchor of that unit either at the top of the Gladiators’ 1-3-1 zone defense or in the low post. Dello Russo swatted away several shots and altered several others as the Mustangs struggled mightily to gain any sort of offensive rhythm.
“If you’re shooting and Emmy’s there, you’re not going to be able to make the basket,” Glenelg coach Maureen Roberson said. “She’s going to block it every time.”
Glenelg (9-3) allowed just eight points in the opening three quarters, including just one field goal after the opening 2:30. The Gladiators entered Friday’s contest with the county’s second-ranked scoring defense (35.3 points per game) and put that dominance on full display. For 32 minutes, Glenelg sped up the Mustangs’ guards and created constant confusion as it rotated between several different zone defenses.
Show Caption1 of 9Glenelg’s Emmy Delle Russo blocks the shot of Peyton Albert during the game between Marriotts Ridge and Glenelg High Schools at Marriotts Ridge High School in Marriottsville, MD. (Haldan Kirsch/Freelance)Expand
Friday’s masterful defensive performance was another example of the Gladiators’ development into one of the county’s top teams this season. Glenelg has just one county loss this season and has won its eight county games by an average of 19.3 points. The Gladiators are already on the precipice of last year’s win total (10) and surpassed the eight-win total from two years ago.
They’ve rallied around the fact that many outside the program didn’t have lofty expectations entering this season. However, Roberson was well-aware of the group’s talent after spending the previous four seasons as the junior varsity coach.
While many on the outside looked past the Gladiators for their past shortcomings, Glenelg was committed to redefining that perception.
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“They want to win a championship, so I’m going to try to get them there,” Roberson said. “From the beginning, I was even told when I took over this team that we weren’t going to do well and we were probably going to lose. The way these girls come out every game, they’re focused. They come to practice and they’re determined to continue to win. They can’t be stopped.”
Glenelg’s confidence is evident on both ends of the floor in both its fearlessness to dive for loose balls and aggressiveness defensively. Rather than the other team dictating the pace and aggressiveness, Glenelg is often playing on its terms.
That shift sparked the turnaround in Friday’s second half. Glenelg carried itself with a swagger and bravado consistent with a team that believes in itself. In order to reach their ultimate goal and continue proving those preseason doubters wrong, the Gladiators need to maintain that edge.
“I feel like we’re a way better team than we were last year,” Dabiri said. “To be honest, nobody can mess with us from the end to the jump if we play strong from the first quarter to the fourth quarter.”
Have a news tip? Contact Jacob Steinberg at jsteinberg@baltsun.com, 443-442-9445 and x.com/jacobstein23.
G- 16 0 22 6- 44
MR- 5 1 2 9- 17
G: MJ Dabiri 11, Penelope Garcia 9, Emmy Dello Russo 8, Ava Karbacka 4, Madison Perry 3, Ashlin Cornelius 3, Skyler Mitchner 3, Sharon Zhao 3.
MR: Noelle Zahn 6, Peyton Albert 3, Vestina Davidonyte 2, Riley Jenkins 2, Rose Miller 2, Katie Moraz 2.
