By Jared Schmeltzer
Reporter
On Thursday (November 16), the Merrill girls basketball team traveled to Medford for their first game of the season. The girls started off their season on the right foot with a 54-41 victory.
The Bluejays were unable to build any sort of lead in the first half as Medford held tight with a 22-22 halftime score. In the second half the Merrill girls found a bit of rhythm putting up 32 points and holding Medford to only 19 in the half to take the 13 point win.
Merrill’s offense had to rely on the inside game against Medford, shooting 15 for 28 (53%) inside the three point line and going four for 18 (22%) from deep. In all the girls shot 41% from the field, led by Maddix Bonnell with 21 points on 61% shooting. Bonnell was able to hit one of her two threes, drop in four free throws and swipe four steals on the way to Merrill win. The Bluejays had two other girls score double figures in the victory including Lindsey Casper and Patience Pyan. Casper had 11 points on 25% shooting, however she was able to drop in all seven of her free throw attempts to go along with her two assists, two steals and three rebounds. Pyan was able to go for 10 points on 30% shooting with nine of her points coming off of three made three-point shots and one coming from the free throw line. Pyan also grabbed four rebounds and dished up two assists.
The girls will hit the floor again on Tuesday, November 28, as they travel to Shawno Community High School for their game at 7:15 p.m.