Notre Dame girls basketball team deploys new offensive look in win over Chaffee

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- At 1-3 entering the night, the Notre Dame girls basketball team was searching for a way to build something positive early in its campaign. On Thursday night, it may have found that something.

Utilizing a newly-installed offense for the first time in a live game and putting an emphasis on forcing turnovers, the Bulldogs swung past Chaffee with a 69-42 win at Chaffee High School.

Notre Dame had 16 steals, including 11 in the first half, as it forced turnover after turnover in the second quarter and opened the period on a 14-2 run that grabbed control of a previously close game.

"They're a good shooting team," Notre Dame coach Renee Peters said of the Red Devils. "I came and watched Chaffee play Monday night against Scott County Central, and I knew we couldn't leave anyone open. So we really worked the last few days on jumping the passing lanes and anticipating. Fortunately it worked out."

It was the third consecutive loss for the Red Devils, who have been victimized by a recurring problem -- turnovers. On Thursday night, they totaled 27 in that category.

"We've got to take care of the ball," Chaffee coach Darrin Pruitt said. "We can shoot the ball, but we're missing a lot of opportunities to shoot the ball when we do that kind of stuff."

That was never more evident than in the second quarter, as Notre Dame (2-3) went on a 10-0 swing in the frame's opening minutes, while Chaffee (4-3) went nearly six minutes without a point, stretching back to late in the first quarter.

Sam Brennan dropped in back-to-back buckets in transition to start the second, and three of the Bulldogs' five straight baskets came off turnovers. It was in stark contrast to a first quarter in which Notre Dame attempted 11 3-pointers, making just one and struggling in its half-court offense. It attempted just eight more 3s all night.

That adjustment came as the Bulldogs grew more comfortable in their new offensive look, which put less emphasis on shots from outside the arc -- an area Peters said has not been productive this season, though not for lack of trying.

"We went with a shorter, quicker lineup tonight because we were trying to press and jump the pass -- we knew we probably had a step up in some [matchups] in quickness," Peters said. "We came out trying to fire up those 3s, [but] once we started going to the inside game, it was a lot more effective. Once the girls settled down, it really took off."

Already up 32-22 after one half, Brennan opened the third with a baseline jumper, and the Bulldogs began another run, this one a 12-3 swing that featured six points from Lexi Welter.

By the end of the third quarter, Notre Dame found itself with an 18-point lead, 48-30. That was stretched to a 27-point advantage by the final whistle, with the visitors dropping in 21 points during the final eight minutes.

Welter led all scorers with 18 points, including 12 in the second half.

"The new offense just helps us move around the perimeter more and gets the down-low players more open inside, so we get better looks [at the basket]," Welter said.

"After tonight, it was a really positive feeling in the locker room. ... It was just a way different feeling than the other games we've played this year."

Brennan added 17 points, seven assists and three steals for the visitors, while Faith Essner pitched in 12 points.

Julia Sutterfield paced Chaffee with 17 points, including 10-of-12 shooting from the charity stripe. Kylie Wilhite scored 10 for the Red Devils.

Chaffee attempted just 35 field goals on the night, compared to 60 for Notre Dame, which connected on 60.1 percent.

"We needed tonight's win," Peters said. "The girls were at the point where we could play our hearts out, but it's just not the most effective.

"Tonight was a good team win. We've got finals this week, we were away from home and this was a good win. I was happy for the girls because this team has to learn how to win. ... Tonight was kind of a nice little coming-out party, maybe."

On the other side of the gym, Chaffee is already focused on moving past its losing streak.

"Basketball's a long season," Pruitt said. "We take one game at a time and get better every day that we can. That's what we're looking to do."

The Red Devils will have the holiday break to do that, as they won't play again until Jan. 4 at Kelly.

Notre Dame will return to the floor Sunday for the first round of the Kelso Supply Holiday Classic at the Show Me Center.

Notre Dame 10 22 16 21 -- 69

Chaffee 12 10 8 12 -- 42

NOTRE DAME (69) -- Sam Brennan 17, Faith Essner 12, Maddie Urhahn 3, Sydney Newell 2, Lexi Welter 18, Hayli Chapman 4, Brooke Blankenship 6, Samantha Feeney 5, Rachel Conrad 2. FG 25-41, FT 13-15, F 18. (3-pointers: Brennan, Feeney. Fouled out: none.)

CHAFFEE (42) -- Julia Sutterfield 17, Kylie Wilhite 10, Carliegh Burnett 3, Mattison Cline 4, Katie Glueck 4, Mary Beth Knutson 4. FG 6-22, FT 18-24, F 15. (3-pointers: Sutterfield, Wilhite, Burnett, Cline. Fouled out: none.)