Between quarters, the St. Anthony coach challenged his team. He told them to get into transition and that he expected them to score the first 10 to 12 points of the second period.
“The beauty of this team is when they’re challenged, they usually respond,” Rios added.
They certainly did in that second period.
And the surge was led by Guy. She hit a three-pointer and then turned in a three-point play to cap an 11-0 run and give the hosts a double-digit lead. Before the quarter was over, she made four more baskets and added a pair of free throws. She tallied 15 points during those eight minutes, helping the Lady Bulldogs build a 37-20 halftime lead.
Some players have a difficult time keeping that going after the intermission. But that was not the case Monday night with Guy. The senior knocked down four from long range and tallied 14 more points in the third period, as SAHS continued to expand its commanding lead, building it to 63-32 entering the final eight minutes.
The fourth quarter went quick with the continuously running clock. Guy missed her first two shots, but then drilled a three from the corner to top the 40-point plateau and establish the new single-game scoring record.
“Riley has been a huge contributor to this program,” Rios said. “She will go down as one of the best players in school history. She has been our most dedicated player and has shown so much maturation. I’m really proud of her.”
Lucy Fearday added 16 points and also pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.
After the game, Rios wanted to talk about his seniors. In addition to Guy, Grace Karolewicz and Izzy Hakman also played their final home game.
“Izzy is such a joy,” the St. Anthony coach said. “She always has a smile on her face and is ready to compete. She’s been a contributor on the defensive end. We call her the ‘lightening bug’ for a reason.
“In my opinion, Grace is one of the most improved players in this area,” Rios added. “She has improved tremendously. I think she has a chance to be an all-conference selection. It’s a real credit to her the way she has helped drive our momentum and success.”
As the regular season winds down, the Lady Bulldogs are playing their best basketball. They have now won 11 of their last 12 games and improved to 19-9 overall. Winning the conference title and winning 20 games were both season goals.
St. Anthony will have a chance to get that 20th victory Thursday night when it travels to Newton. That will be the regular season finale. The postseason will begin next week.
