Maxwell scores 56 in Heritage's victory over Temescal
Sierra Maxwell goes up for a 3-point shot on the way to a career-high 56 points. (Photo by Rick Rowell) By Paige Mendez, Correspondent The...
By Paige Mendez, Correspondent
The Heritage High girls basketball team continued its home winning streak with a 77-52 victory over Temescal Canyon Friday night, led by junior Sierra Maxwell, who scored a career-best 56 points in the game.
After exchanging a few buckets back and forth in the first quarter, a three-pointer from Mariah Logan gave the Patriots their first cushion on the board, bringing the score to 15-11. With just a four-point lead going into the second quarter, head coach Deanna Meijer said the team was adjusting to some changes and needed a chance to calm down.
“We had a different starting lineup today than we’ve had the past few games, so there was a couple girls starting new positions,” she said. “So they were a little bit scatterbrained in the beginning. I told them to chill and they figured it out.”
Maxwell and the rest of the team certainly did figure it out, doubling their score and gaining a 10-point lead before the halftime buzzer sounded.
The Titans got as close as six points in the third quarter but a well-timed Maxwell shot from behind the arc widened that gap to nine. That bucket was one of six 3-pointers she made on the night.
The gap only continued to widen throughout the second half while Heritage continued to dominate on both sides of the ball, but for Meijer, the impressive side was defense.
“We had a couple girls who had really big assignments today and they really stepped up,” she said. “I told them it was their best defensive game ever, especially Mariah [Logan] and Reg’inae [Hardin].”
That defense showed itself in 11 Patriot steals compared to the Titans’ 4, as well as 2 blocks and 20 defensive rebounds.
Meijer and Maxwell agreed that this game was one they had been looking forward to -- especially after a two-point loss in their previous matchup with Temescal Canyon.
“We were playing for revenge tonight because of the first loss,” Meijer said. “So we knew that we were going to pull this off.”
With a weapon like Maxwell -- who scored more points than the other team did as a whole -- it’s no wonder Meijer felt that confident going into this game. Maxwell is a player that coaches dream about.
“I’m super grateful for her. She’s super talented but she puts in the extra effort and works so hard off the court,” Meijer said. “She deserves everything she will get because she puts in that work.”
But for Maxwell, she realizes she wouldn’t be here without her team.
“I feel really happy and just so proud of my team,” she said. “It’s because of the hard work in practice and we’re pushing each other, and I’m really proud of how far we’ve come.”
The team shot an overall 45 percent in field goals on the night and 86 percent from the free-throw line, compared to Temescal’s 65 percent in foul shots.
Hardin finished with 8 points and 5 rebounds before she fouled out in the fourth quarter, and Diana Contreras led the team in boards with 9 total on the night.
The Patriots are now 15-9 overall and will start the last half of their league schedule with a game at John W. North High on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Heritage players celebrate Sierra Maxwell's 3-pointer at the end of the first half. (Photo by Rick Rowell)
Mariah Logan penetrates the Temescal Canyon defense Friday night. (Photo by Rick Rowell)
