Beechcroft Plays Big

Behind the red hot shooting of Sha'Mya Dukes who posted a game-high 23 points, Beechcroft (1-1) dominated its biggest rival as it toppled Northland (0-1), 58-36.

The two Columbus City League foes competed on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at Beechcroft in a game that was postponed after school was cancelled due to a snow storm that hit Columbus on Dec. 2.

Both teams scored right away as there was a 2-2 tie in the first minute of the game. Despite a loud Northland crowd that traveled two miles while crossing state route 161 to support the visiting team, Beechcroft took off in the first half with a 16-3 run. Beechcroft had the lead at the end of the first quarter at 18-5.

Freshman center Janessa Dawson provided multiple problems for Northland. The Beechcroft prospect not only scored five of her eight points in the opening quarter, she also had multiple steals and assists which pushed the Cougars ahead early.

"She possesses a lot of ball skills that six-foot freshman post players don't posses," Beechcroft coach Mike Moncrief said about Dawson. "We're trying to make sure as we're teaching her, that we still allow her to be her with the stuff she already knows how to do and do well. She's been real receptive, [she's] working hard in practice everyday ... The biggest thing with her is just confidence. She's developing and she's starting to get the confidence. She works hard, she looks at film and she knows what she wants to work on."

While Dawson's size and court awareness played a factor, Northland's other nuisance was the scoring of Dukes. In the second quarter, the senior guard crushed any hope that Northland had of rallying as she scored 10 points in the period.

"She led today and that's something she's not used to," Moncrief said about Dukes. "She's always had seniors in front of her. She was always the baby. She had her skills but she didn't have to say much. Now she's being more vocal on and off the floor and today she shot the ball extremely well. What I want to see from her is for her to continue to get better and to lead on the floor because the girl can play. The girl's got some game."

Dukes had 15 of her 23 points in the first half. She also made three of her four three-point shots before the intermission. Beechcroft took a 28-12 lead into halftime and never loss control of the game for the remainder of the night.

Like in its first game, which was a two-point loss to Bexley on Nov. 21, Beechcroft got another exciting effort from Shandrella Balima. She tormented the Northland offense all night with steals from dribblers as well as passers. The freshman guard closed the game with 15 points, matching the same total that she had against Bexley.

Beechcroft has another big battle ahead as it prepares to take on Centennial on the road, Dec. 5. Centennial is coming off of a 62-47 r0ad win over International which also occurred on Dec. 3.

"We played extremely hard today but there's still so much we have to fix because it doesn't get any easier," Moncrief said. "We have the City League champions [Centennial] on Friday, so each practice we're working hard."

Spectators of the Beechcroft, Centennial match-up should be in for a treat as Balima and Centennial star guard Kennedy Houston will have their first ever battle in a high school game.

In his 11th season as head coach, Moncrief has occasionally seen Beechcroft teams get so focused on beating Northland, that the following game has produced a letdown in effort. Moncrief said that is something that concerns him going up against Centennial, but he believes his team will be ready. "I think this team is so level headed and so unselfish, [focus on the next opponent] is not something that I have to talk about. Just go do your job."

Northland was led in the defeat to Beechcroft by senior guard Javaya Harley who poured in 17 points. Dereona Harris, also a senior guard, pitched in with 11 points for the Vikings.

Northland will work to get its first win of the new season as it hosts another City League foe, Mifflin.