The Rockets’ girls basketball team pulled a convincing 54-33 win over the Blair Blazers at home last Monday night. Their cooperative effort has improved the team’s overall record to 3-0.

The action got off to a slow start. More than halfway through the first quarter, both teams had yet to get on the board. Shots were not falling on either side, until finally, with three minutes left in the quarter, Blair scored a single layup. This small threat initiated the Rockets offense, with contributions from forward Melanie Osborne and a three-pointer from guard Karon Williams. The score at the end of the quarter was only 7-4 Rockets.

Despite their short glimpse of victory scoring first, the Blazers would never hold the lead again. The second quarter began with both teams experiencing difficulty keeping the ball inbounds, until Richard Montgomery recovered and and began to maintain possession with smart passes around the circle. The Rockets increased their lead with a series of fast breaks down the court, complete with layups from Williams and senior forward Mackenzie Harwood.

Richard Montgomery was able to limit their fouling, an aspect of the game they have been looking to improve upon since their home-opener against Gaithersburg. Blair did not share the same success, as they were forced to shift around their starting lineup when one of their most obstructive players reached four personal fouls very early on. The Rockets achieved a more comfortable lead by the half, with a score of 31-12.

The whistle signifying the start of the second half also catalyzed a spurt of momentum in the Richard Montgomery offense. Junior guard Kate Shuck guided the effort, scoring 6 unanswered points on the next three possessions. The Blazers’ zone defense was no match for the speed and agility of the Rockets, who navigated faultlessly to make big plays in the paint. Despite a marginal response from Blair, Richard Montgomery was seated safely at 46 points, doubling the amount of their opponent.

The Rockets continued to add to their lead into the fourth quarter, even in the presence of some questionable travelling calls. Forceful rebounds from Harwood under the basket kept the ball on Richard Montgomery’s side of the court. With Blair still in need of over 20 points to tie, the Rockets pressured on to cause errant shots and passes.

With confidence in their chances and two minutes left on the clock, the Rockets swapped some of their starters to give other teammates playing time. After some choppy and frantic fouling as a last endeavor from the Blazers, Richard Montgomery secured the victory with a final score of 54-33.

The Rockets plan to bring along their undefeated momentum as they travel to Clarksburg on Wednesday to face off against the 2-0 Coyotes.