With a 46-37 home win in Tuesday’s rematch against the Hawks, the Knights avenged December’s loss and moved into second place in the 8-AAAAAAA standings, behind Buford.
Senior point guard Sierra Driessen led the Knights with 16 points, including shooting 7-for-9 on free throws as Mill Creek sent Driessen to the line in the game’s final minutes. Driessen also had a steal, a forced turnover and a tipped pass in the game’s second half to help Central Gwinnett limit the Hawks to just two points in the fourth quarter.
“(Sierra) is that kid that you can talk about, as a coach, that has an ‘it factor,’” Central Gwinnett head coach Courtney Harris said. “She wants the ball in her hands in that moment… She steps up to the line, and she gives me that look. I don’t even have to worry about it.”
Central Gwinnett headed into halftime with a 29-21 lead, with a 7-0 run to end the first half. However, midway through the third quarter, Mill Creek began a 9-0 run to cut Central Gwinnett’s lead to one by the end of the third.
Seven of those nine consecutive points came from the game’s leading scorer, Mill Creek’s freshman combo guard Isabella Ragone. Ragone recorded 24 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks.
Mill Creek power forwards junior Kayla Harper and senior Andreonia Doe each put up eight rebounds for the Hawks. Harper, who recorded nine points, scored the layup off Ragone’s full-court pass to give Mill Creek a 37-36 lead with six minutes remaining in the game.
The Hawks’ lead didn’t last long, however, as high-intensity defense from the Knights forced several turnovers and steals in the fourth quarter. Central Gwinnett’s freshman guard Coco Rudolph, who scored 12 points, had three steals against the Hawks.
“We have much respect for Mill Creek. They have some really talented players,” Harris said. “I told (our team), ‘This is going to be a game of runs… It’s going to be a fight at the end. We just have to continue to make sure when they go on their run, then we go on ours.”
Knights senior guard Joy Harris also scored nine, and senior guard Olivia Orsley scored seven.
The last time Central Gwinnett’s girls basketball team reached 18 wins was the 2013-14 season. The Knights have matched that total with four regular season games remaining.
After finishing 9-16 in the 2019-2020 season, 4-19 in the 2020-21 season and 13-13 last year, this season is the Knights’ best regular-season performance under Harris, who joined the program in 2019.
The seniors graduating this year— several of which played major roles in Central Gwinnett’s win over the Hawks— will be the first class that Harris coached as freshmen.
“Whenever we break down a huddle, Sierra always tells everybody, ‘I love you,’ and we respond ‘I love you, too. Family on three,’” said Harris. “We truly believe that they trust each other.”
With the loss, Mill Creek drops to 10-7 overall and 3-3 in region play. It currently sits fourth in the region.
Both Mill Creek and Central Gwinnett share the same four teams left on their schedules, all region opponents: Buford, Dacula, Mountain View and Collins Hill. Buford, currently undefeated in region play, sits atop the standings, while Collins Hill is in third, also 4-2 and separating Central Gwinnett and Mill Cree... Click here to read full article
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