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Park Center pulls away from Minnetonka in second half to remain unblemished

By Sarah Johnson, SportsEngine, 12/27/19, 2:30PM CST

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Adalia McKenzie, a junior forward, scored a game-high 34 points to help the Pirates sink the Skippers.

Park Center’s Adalia McKenzie spots an opening in front of the basket late in the second half in the Holiday Showcase Friday night. The Pirates beat the Skippers 75-58 and remain undefeated. Photo by Earl J. Ebensteiner, SportsEngine

Park Center’s Adalia McKenzie spots an opening in front of the basket late in the second half in the Holiday Showcase Friday night. The Pirates beat the Skippers 75-58 and remain undefeated. Photo by Earl J. Ebensteiner, SportsEngine

When a team’s starters each average three-to-five steals per game, their defense is probably pretty good. 

That was the case on Friday night as Park Center used a smothering defense and got 34 points from junior forward Adalia McKenzie to beat Minnetonka 75-58 at the Park Center Holiday Showcase. 

“Our girls have a tenacity that doesn’t quit,” said Park Center coach Barb Metcalf.

Returning everyone from a team that finished with 23 wins a season ago, the Pirates displayed impressive team chemistry, showcasing crisp passes, forcing turnovers and being relentless to get offensive rebounds. 

“We’ve been working on being more disciplined in the half court, but I thought we ran our sets well throughout the game tonight,” Metcalf said. 

McKenzie added: “We’re really focusing on communicating and knowing what to do.”

The Pirates’ Lauren Frost (13) and her teammates played aggressive defense keeping Minnetonka to 58 points Friday night. Park Center defeated Minnetonka 75-58 at home in the Holiday Showcase. Photo by Earl J. Ebensteiner, SportsEngine

The Pirates’ Lauren Frost (13) and her teammates played aggressive defense keeping Minnetonka to 58 points Friday night. Park Center defeated Minnetonka 75-58 at home in the Holiday Showcase. Photo by Earl J. Ebensteiner, SportsEngine

First Report

Junior forward Adalia McKenzie, who scored 34 points, and her Park Center teammates proved to be too much for Minnetonka Friday night as the Pirates beat the Skippers 75-48 at the Park Center Holiday Showcase. 

After a close first half which saw Minnetonka (6-3, 0-0) take the lead at one point, Park Center, ranked No. 3 in Class 4A by Minnesota Basketball News, opened up a 10-point lead coming out of halftime and never trailed again.

With a never-ending barrage of steals and offensive rebounds, the Pirates (11-0, 2-0) used a smothering defense and impressive team chemistry to stay undefeated.

Senior guard Lauren Frost contributed 22 points for Park Center.

Minnetonka sophomore guard Desiree Ware had 21 points while eighth-grade forward Emma Dasovich added 12 for the Skippers.

Minnetonka’s Desiree Ware gets a layup early in the second half. Ware had 21 points Friday night in Minnetonka's 75-58 loss to Park Center. Photo by Earl J. Ebensteiner, SportsEngine

Minnetonka’s Desiree Ware gets a layup early in the second half. Ware had 21 points Friday night in Minnetonka's 75-58 loss to Park Center. Photo by Earl J. Ebensteiner, SportsEngine

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