David, Bears roll to ninth straight victory

Too much Jacque David proved to be too much for the host Fort Osage girls basketball team.

The William Chrisman power forward scored 10 of her game-high 21 points in the first quarter to lead the Bears to a 65-35 Suburban Middle Six Conference victory.

After David controlled the paint, her teammates got in on the offensive action to improve to 16-5 overall and a perfect 7-0 in conference play with their ninth straight victory.

“My girls do such a great job of getting me the ball inside,” David said. “When they get it to me, I make sure and kick it back out to them if I’m covered – and it all worked great tonight.”

Joining David in double figures were Mele Taula and Jolee Spinks, who each scored 11 points.

Spinks came off the bench and gave the Bears a spark in the second period as she scored six points to help Chrisman take a 37-11 lead into halftime.

“Our entire team played with great intensity tonight,” Bears coach Scott Schaefer said. “There were a few defensive lapses we will address at practice, but overall I was really happy with the way we played.

“The girls did a great job getting the ball inside to Jacque, and Jolee – whether she starts or comes in off the bench – gives us a spark.”

David agreed with her coach, adding, “Jolee just keeps going and going, she never gets tired. She is a great defensive player and she can score, too. Like all the girls on our team, she is just so valuable and does so many things to help us win.”

The Bears took a 49-22 lead into the fourth quarter and earned the running clock as Schaefer emptied his bench to allow his reserves some varsity action.

Although his Indians fell to 3-15 and 0-7, interim coach Jordan Lewis was pleased with his team’s hustle.

“No matter what the score is, our girls are never going to back down or give up,” said Lewis, who is coaching the team in head coach Lindsay Thompson’s absence.

“We’ve been getting after our girls to shoot more, and Brooklynn (Gilpin, 11 points) and Ashlyn (Buntin, 11) really shot the ball well tonight. We’re young, and Chrisman is one of the top teams in the state, so we’ll get back to practice tomorrow and work hard and get ready for our next game.”