Bay Port hangs on to beat West De Pere

DE PERE (WLUK) -- It's first two games of the season the Bay Port girls basketball team was not playing with a full roster, but Tuesday the Pirates were at 100 percent, and it showed.

Senior sharpshooter Kyla Hendricks made her season debut one game after post player Ellia McDermid made her debut and the combination helped hand West De Pere its first loss in four games as the Pirates defeated the Phantoms 65-58 in a non-conference contest.

For the game, Hendricks and McDermid each totaled 18 points, respectively.

"It feels really good because we knew coming into it they were going to be a tough team to beat," Hendricks said. "We stuck to the game plan and pulled out a really good win. I'm really proud of us.

"Makes me have a lot of confidence when we do have those tough games that we're going to put our all out there and focus and stick to the plan."

"This is exactly what these non-conference games are for us at the beginning of the season," coach Dennis Gladwell said. "We pick them every year to get them ready to prepare us for conference. This is a good win for us against a really good West De Pere team."

Bay Port (1-2) led most of the game but fell behind late before rallying at the end. Rhyan Coghlin drove to the basket and scored her only two points to give the Pirates the lead for good at 57-55. While Coghlin made a key play late, Bay Port had plenty of players pitch in.

Guard Kyla Simpkins added 11 points, while frontcourt players Melia Lemorande (six points) and Ally Knutson (five) combined for 11 points.

"This is definitely the most balanced team since I've taken over," Gladwell said. "The other teams were really good, but we were either too tall or too small. We've got the group and we've got the heart.

"They're ready to go. We needed this win to kick us off into conference this Friday."

Speaking of the conference, everybody is picking Notre Dame to win the Fox River Classic Conference for a third year in a row, but the Pirates are not backing down from the Tritons.

"We're predicted to be up there at the top of the FRCC, but we want to get to the top," Gladwell said. "I think this team has it. We're just going to keep fighting, keep going after what we want and that's greatness."

"I'm really confident because I know we're a group of girls that are going to work our butts off every day, on the court, off the court; whether or not they play, get in, we're just going to work," Hendricks said.

3-POINTERS

• McDermid added 12 rebounds.

• The sophomore trio of Sophomores Madisyn Berrgren (22 points), Ella Francois (11) and Faith Walder (10) combined for 43 points.

• Hendricks was 4 for 9 from 3-point range.

Follow Doug Ritchay on Twitter @dougritchay