Dobson girls overpower Mesquite with second-quarter blitz

January 11, 2013 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Mesquite coach Candice Gonzales was looking forward to seeing how her team would stack up Friday night against Dobson, one of the better teams on its schedule this season, in their second meeting of the year. Gonzales said prior to the game the Lady Wildcats were playing better of late and eager to give a more worthy account than they did last month when they dropped a 58-36 decision at Mesquite.

Gonzales liked Friday's first six minutes. After that ---  not so much.

Dobson pieced together a 19-0 run from late in the first period to nearly midway through the second and went on to blitz Mesquite, 64-36, in a Division I girls game at Dobson High.

Dobson, a seasoned  team led by senior Katherine Hamilton and juniors Miyah Leith and Tori Lloyd, put a rather speedy end to Mesquite's plans of an upset. Mesquite led 10-9 with two minutes left in the first period when everything came unraveled. Dobson changed its defense, turned up the pressure and by the 4:25 mark of the second quarter had amassed a 28-10 lead. Dobson's run was two-pronged and lethal. Mesquite turned the ball over nine times in the second quarter (14 in the first half). With the nine turnovers in the second period came nine Dobson layups.

"We weren't patient and weren't disciplined," Gonzales said. "We totally threw out our game plan after the first quarter. We went to playing as individuals. We've turned the ball over a lot this year, but lately we'e been able to overcome it. Not tonight. It was layup after layup."

Dobson coach Tyler Dumas is liking what he's seen of late as Dobson notched its ninth win in its last 11 games. The Lady Mustangs now stand 12-4 overall and 8-1 in power-ranking contests. Dobson, playing its third game in four days, got Hamilton back in action after missing two games with a pair of cracked teeth.

"It was nice having Katherine ready to go again," Dumas said, "We got to playing the way we like, and had a good run. Tori is starting to find her way again offensively. She's struggeld some with her shot, but tonight they looked good leaving her hand."

Lloyd led Dobson with 17 points. She sank a three and another long jumper in the opening period and then got in on the layup-fest in the second witht two of those and another three. Lloyd had 14 of her points in the first half. Leith didn't score in the first period, but netted 12 of her 15 points in the second period. Hamilton tallied 11 points, hitting a pair of 15-footers in the first period when Dobson's offense came mostly from the perimeter.

Mesquite (11-9, 6-5 prg) was led by juniors Cecily Wilson (15 points) and Rebecca Tilley (13 points). Tilley gave Mesquite a spark in the third period with seven points (six in succession). All three were runners in the lane. Wilson, who leads Mesquite in scoring averaging 13 a game, was much better than in the first meeting. Wilson did not score in that game and was 0-for-9 from the field. On Friday she was 6-for-14.

"I told the girls the other day we have some tougher games coming up with Highland, Chandler and Dobson and we have to play more disciplined," Gonzales said. "We have to play with more consistency. I think they saw that tonight."