Faith Academy girls basketball defeats San Juan Diego

CAPTION: Faith Academy basketball players Megan Burrows (33), Selby Sanchez and Lily Koziel led an onslaught during the victory against Austin San Juan Diego. Photo by Stennis Shotts

The Faith Academy of Marble Falls girls basketball team scorched Austin San Juan Diego 66-25 Jan. 13 in District 4-3A play of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools. 

The Lady Flames (14-7, 2-0) trailed 8-2 in the first quarter before going on a 9-0 run to close it out for an 11-8 lead headed into the second period. 

When Faith led 8-7, head coach Harvey Vaughn called a timeout and made it clear the Lady Flames simply had to pick up the pace.

“I got into them pretty good,” he said. “Mainly it was frustration with all of them and how slow they were playing. They weren’t pushing the pace, they weren’t being aggressive on defense. It was not a pace that we wanted to play at, not the pace we talked about playing at, so I think I reinvigorated them at that point. And they came out and things picked up at that point.” 

Faith outscored the Saints 19-7 in the second period for a 30-15 half-time lead and 17-6 in the third quarter for a 47-21 advantage headed into the final stanza. 

Vaughn noted his team didn’t have everyone available to play. A starter is nursing an injury and didn’t suit out and illness is running through the team. Still, the coach pointed out the score indicates Faith had more than enough to overcome those challenges.

“As much as I talked to them about it and we mentioned before the game ‘don’t take it lightly. We have to come out and play basketball, play the game,’ and we just didn’t start out (that way),” he said. “It’s (a) very good (win), but we picked it up into the second quarter and they played better after that. I thought we didn’t shoot well in the first half, but I thought we started shooting the ball a little better in the second half and moving the ball better.” 

That meant whipping the ball around faster knowing the defense can’t adjust quick enough to contest shots.

“(We’re) still learning to swing the ball from side to side and understanding the advantages that happen because of that,” Vaughn said.  

Once they began playing Faith basketball, the Lady Flames got the separation on the scoreboard that leads to lopsided victories. 

The result is having four players in double figures led by junior point guard Lilly Koziel, who dropped in 13 points followed by sophomore guard Olivia Kraenzel and junior post Megan Burrows, who each scored 12, and sophomore guard Selby Sanchez added 10.

“It’s huge,” the coach said. “The kind of game we want to play, we’re trying to get the ball to somebody who gets the best shot, so we don’t really care who it is. It’s key that everyone has to contribute, otherwise, we can’t just lay it off on one or two other people. So when you press and when you’re fast-breaking, you never know who’s going to be at the end of it. So it tends to get spread.” 

Sophomore forward Layla Terrell scored nine, and sophomore post Madison Winsborough added four, sophomore guard Cuyleigh Zimmerman contributed three, sophomore guard Jasmine Young dropped in two, and senior guard Alyana Reyes finished with one.

Now Faith focuses on a crucial stretch beginning with a road game at San Antonio Lutheran at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, then welcomes Waco Live Oak at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17.

Live Oak is ranked No. 1 in the Class 3A private school poll of the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, Lutheran is ranked No. 3, and Faith is ranked No. 4.

“That’s it’s going to be a challenge,” Vaughn said. “We’re playing two top 3 teams in three days.”  

CAPTION: Alyana Reyes scored for the Lady Flames, which always gets her teammates excited. Photo by Stennis Shotts