Raiders’ in-your-face defense leaves Cyclones spinning ineffectively on offense

QUINCY — Blair Eftink started it with a 1-2 punch.

Abbey Schreake followed with a couple of haymakers.

And the knockout blow came from the Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team’s in-your-face defense that befuddled Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin’s backcourt Thursday night at the Pit.

Eftink’s layup off the opening tip and 3-pointer on the Raiders’ next possession kickstarted a game-opening 8-0 run. Schreacke proceeded to score on four consecutive possessions as the lead grew to 18-7. Six turnovers committed by the Cyclones in the first quarter all led to points and a 13-point deficit when the period ended.

There was no recovery as the Raiders rolled to a 59-29 victory.

“We were together tonight,” QND freshman guard Sage Stratton said. “Some other nights, we weren’t so together, but tonight, we were playing as a team. We were helping each other out and sticking to the basics.”

Following last Saturday’s 59-52 ictory over Unity in which QND coach Eric Orne felt the Raiders, ranked second in Class 2A,  lacked defensive intensity, this was a good reminder of what they can do when they lock in.

“It showed some things on film we needed to work on,” Orne said. “Tonight, we did a lot better with that.”

Specifically, the Raiders (7-0) relentlessly hounded the Cyclones’ guards.

“We knew we had to win the game on the defensive side,” said Schreacke, who finished with a game-high 25 points. “We knew they had good guards. We knew we had to stop them and that would win the game.”

It started with the opening tip. Schreacke won it, Lia Quintero threw a bounce pass to Stratton and Eftink caught another bounce pass on her way to the basket for a layin three seconds into the game. 

“Whenever we do that, it sets the tone for the rest of the game,” Schreacke said.

Eftink, who had 15 points, followed with a 3-pointer from the right wing after an SHG turnover. Schreacke split a pair of free throws, scored after Quintero’s offensive rebound and then made back-to-back baskets at the rim, the second coming off a turnover.

Meanwhile, the Cyclones scored just two field goals in the game’s first four minutes.

“When you’re scoring, it makes it easier to get back on defense,” Schreacke said. “You have so much adrenaline. It just makes everything easier.”

Everyone felt the surge.

“When Blair shoots a three or Abbey makes a layup, we get back and we’re ready to go,” Stratton said. “We want to create the opportunity to get the next point.”

Orne sensed the defense getting more aggressive and playing more free with the lead.

“When you get off to a good start like that, your shoulders can dig in and bear in because you’re not pressing as much,” said Orne, whose team will play host to Havana at 10 a.m. Saturday. “That really helped us get engaged, too.”