Highlanders press the issue, rout Whittell
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ZEPHYR COVE — The pressure got to the Whittell HIgh girls’ basketball team on Saturday afternoon.
And it wasn’t the pressure of playing rival Incline at home for second place in the Mount Rose League standings.
It was the Highlanders’ full-court pressure defense that did in the Warriors.
Incline repeatedly turned over Whittell in the backcourt in the first half en route to a 43-17 victory.
With the win, the Highlanders pulled into a first-place tie with Truckee at 3-0.
“They just came out and jumped us,” said Whittell coach Tom Esposito. “Their pressure was relentless, and we couldn’t handle it.”
Whittell committed 30 turnovers and gave up 21 offensive rebounds.
The Highlanders separated from Whittell, scoring eight unanswered points in the final minute of the first quarter for a 19-8 lead. Whittell only scored nine more points, including two in the third quarter, to drop to 2-2 in the MRL.
Eight Highlanders scored, with Nikki Riva leading the way with 12 points. Tori McCunn poured in 10 points.
Megan Mize scored five points for Whittell, which plays host to Class 2A power Lovelock at 4 p.m. Monday.
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