A quick start was all the Columbus North girls basketball needed against Franklin on Tuesday night.
The Bull Dogs’ fast first quarter helped give them a 61-41 win against Franklin and continued the trend of each team heading in opposite directions as of late.
North (14-4) won its third straight game and appears to be bouncing back nicely after two tough tournament losses in December. The Grizzly Cubs (7-11) still are looking for their first win of 2018, dropping their fourth straight.
It was just a matter of the Bull Dogs being too tall, too deep, too talented and too much for Franklin.
North (14-4) took control immediately, racing out to a 26-9 first-quarter lead, augmented by 11 Grizzly Cubs turnovers in the quarter.
From then on, it was the at times simple process of the Bull Dogs maintaining not only their lead but their discipline. That was more or less accomplished throughout the game.
North didn’t commit a turnover until the second quarter and had only 10 giveaways in the game.
“North is a big, strong, physical team,” Franklin coach Josh Sabol said. “When you have young guards like we do, they will give you problems. They really bothered us tonight.”
One guard in particular was causing all kinds of problems for the Grizzly Cubs, and that was sophomore Annie Anderson. Anderson had 17 points with four field goals and nine free throws and was key in disrupting the Franklin offense.
“Annie really played a great game,” North coach Pat McKee said.
Anderson said the Bull Dogs’ quick start was the factor.
“We came out with intensity and rotated really well,” Anderson said. “We have to keep that up the rest of the season.”
That intensity also came from the bench. Nadia Lomax had a game-high 18 points, and Liz Tynan added 17 for the Bull Dogs.
Franklin was led by senior Maya Elliott’s 10 points and nine rebounds.
North hosts Bloomington South on Saturday afternoon in a game that will determine first place in Conference Indiana.
