Whatever the spark was for the Pe Ell girls basketball team’s offense, it was sitting in the locker room. After managing just 14 points in the first 16 minutes of play, the Trojans found their groove and took off Friday, coming from behind to beat Mary M. Knight 48-35.
“We played uninspired basketball in that first half,” Pe Ell coach Dave Tuengel said. “We asked them at the break, ‘How are you going to respond to adversity?’ I’m really proud of our effort in that second half.”
Charlie Carper, who had to sit with foul trouble for much of the second quarter, came back to lead the way with 17 of her 19 points scored in the second half. She also had nine steals and seven rebounds.
On the other side of the ball, Tuengel credited Karli Phelps, an eighth grader, for leading the defensive turnaround that sparked the Trojans to an 18-4 run in the third quarter. She also finished with nine points.
“She made us go in the second half,” he said.
Freshman Peyton Zock had seven points and 11 rebounds, and Brookelynn King brought down eight boards.
After managing just 14 points in the first half, the Trojans dropped 34 in the second, overcoming the Owls in the big third period and beating them out in a higher-scoring fourth.
Pe Ell (5-2, 2-1 1B CVL) will get a home non-league matchup against South Bend on Saturday.
