Suffocating defense leads Oakland Mills girls basketball to commanding 55-28 season-opening win over Centennial

Dec. 7—Oakland Mills freshman shooting guard Chloe Grenway was dealing with nerves before her first varsity game. Fortunately for the Scorpions, she got over them quickly.

With the Scorpions without a field goal midway through the opening quarter, Grenway galvanized the offense, converting back-to-back 3-point plays that gave her team an early lead. Oakland Mills took control in the second half, posting a commanding 55-28 season-opening win over Centennial.

"I was really nervous at first, but when I started getting into a groove and hitting my shots, I got really hyped up," Grenway said. "Just trying to score whenever I can. We played a lot of fall league already, so I knew all my teammates and everything."

Grenway finished with a team-high 15 points.

Leading by two after a defensive opening quarter, Oakland Mills began to build separation in the second. The Scorpions held the Eagles to just three field goals in a 16-7 run. After some struggles in the opening quarter, Oakland Mills (1-0) built offense off its defense. Employing a press, the Scorpions' guards forced several turnovers leading to easy baskets.

Oakland Mills outscored Centennial 10-3 over the final 3:32 of the first half with multiple fast break layups from Adey Alexander, Janiyah Anderton and Destiny Macharia.

That relentless press also prevented the Eagles from finding star sophomore Adria Welch in the post.

"We knew that Adria and Ava Welch are just too tough," Oakland Mills coach Walt Hagins said. "If they get their touches on the ball, there's nothing we can do about that. The emphasis has been on them and trying to apply backcourt pressure just for them to not get touches. If they do get the touches, just to send everything at them. The emphasis going in was just putting maximum pressure on the ballhandlers."

The game plan proved effective as the Welch sisters combined for just 11 points. Senior Kaity Browne primarily defended Adria, not allowing the dynamic sophomore to find open shots. Browne was often joined by multiple teammates who swarmed Welch anytime she crossed half court.

"We knew going into the game that she was one of their strongest players, so we had to shut her down to make sure they didn't take the lead early," Browne said.

Oakland Mills led by 11 at halftime and built on the lead in the third quarter, thanks again to its defense, limiting Centennial to only five points. The offense also hit its stride as Grenway scored seven points during the quarter.

"We have high expectations of Chloe," Hagins said. "There's a lot of things she did well and a lot of things she left on the table that we have to look at on film and get back to. She's a huge part of what we want to do this year and as a freshman, she's only going to get better. As the season goes on we know that teams are going to look to take that away. It's good that she got going, but we need that sustainability all four quarters."

Oakland Mills' Heaven Alexander opened the fourth quarter with eight straight points and Anderton also provided added offensive versatility down the stretch.

"I thought Oakland Mills came out with a really nice man-to-man pressure and they knew that they had to protect against Adria getting the ball in the middle," Centennial coach Bill Macheel said. "Our guards are inexperienced, very young and they had some trouble on the perimeter."