‘We have to play with a chip on our shoulder.’ Dunbar believes it can reach Sweet 16.
With a decisive 60-35 victory at Scott County in their opener Tuesday night, the Paul Laurence Dunbar girls’ basketball team served notice they will be a legitimate contender in the 11th Region even against the likes of defending champion Franklin County.
Can the Bulldogs knock off the Herald-Leader preseason No. 2 Flyers and earn a trip to the state tournament? Yes, said Dunbar Coach Nick Runyon and his players.
“I believe it wholeheartedly,” said Runyon, who is in his sixth season at Dunbar, which was ranked No. 22 in Kentucky in the Herald-Leader’s preseason coaches poll. “The big thing for us is that we have to play with a chip on our shoulder all year long. I think that’s what’s going to drive our team.”
Dunbar lost to Franklin County by 10 in the region semifinals last season due in large part to a rocky start that included seven turnovers that helped lead to an 11-point deficit in the first period it couldn’t overcome.
“We believe that we’re underestimated as a team, all of us,” said senior guard/forward Elise Ellison-Coons, who led all scorers Tuesday with 19 points and has averaged a double-double each of her three varsity seasons with the Bulldogs. “We were kind of young last year. Now that we’ve gotten older our chemistry has built a lot.”
Despite the lack of time together this preseason due to COVID-19 stoppages and delays, Dunbar had its offense working, highlighted by an eye-popping nine three-pointers on 20 attempts, a 45-percent clip.
Junior guard Aziah Campbell had two of those threes and 13 of her 15 points in the first half as Dunbar outscored Scott County 18-3 in the second period on its way to a 37-17 halftime lead.
“She’s a great finisher,” Ellison-Coons said of Campbell, who got a steal and fed Coons for a layup on a fast break during their team’s big run. “She’s athletic. She’s fast. I look for her and she’s gone.”
The Bulldogs also have senior leadership at point guard with Tanaya Cecil, who scored eight points and led the team with six rebounds against Scott County. Another senior, Hailey Gadd anchors the post, and junior Carley Hinshaw has stepped into the starting lineup and nailed a pair of three-pointers.
Scott County has been one of the 11th Region’s most dominant teams over the last few years, but in its second season since the creation of sister school Great Crossing, the Cardinals lost major contributors to graduation. The virus shutdowns haven’t left a lot of time for the team to rev up to the run-and-gun pace Coach Steve Helton wants.
“We’re six months behind, and you can tell,” Helton said. “We’re having to do everything on the fly, dribble by dribble. I hope we can figure this out. We need practice time. With our schedule and the way the season’s set up there’s not a lot of games. … We got 44 shots up tonight and we’ve (in the past) gotten 44 shots up in a quarter or a quarter and a half. It’s uncharted waters for us.”
The victory gave Dunbar its first win over Scott County in eight tries since 2013. Ellison-Coons knows any win against the Cardinals is a good one.
“We’ve struggled with Scott County since I’ve been a freshman,” Ellison-Coons said. “It’s finally good to get over that hump.”
Dunbar next takes on city rivals Tates Creek and Frederick Douglass before a big test against defending 10th Region champion Clark County on Jan. 15. Its regular-season matchup with Franklin County won’t come until Feb. 1.
“This preseason has been awkward, but we’ve come through it, and their attitude and their effort and their preparation has been spectacular in practice,” Runyon said. “I think we’re ready. We have great players. We have a great chemistry on this team. I’m just really excited for what the season holds.”
