By Steve Siniski
Sparked by a 22-4 opening quarter that featured five three-pointers, Baldwin gave the Lady Rams few opportunities to get a clean look at the basket.
"It was excellent for our first home game and showed just how far we've come since last year," Jones said. "We came out pressing and they just kept turning the ball over. We also had great shooting in the first quarter."
Adrianna DeVito and Ali Johnson each canned a pair of shots from behind the arc, while Chanee Brown added one. The threes added up quick as Clarke's turnovers mounted. After jumping out to the fast start, Jones called off the trapping, but that still didn't stop the tenacious Lady Bruins from increasing their lead.
Baldwin's lead ballooned to 34-5 at intermission following a 12-1 outburst in the second quarter.
"We pulled the press back early in the second quarter but our half-court defense was unbreakable," Jones said. "The girls work hard every day and we preach that not playing together means you're not going to be successful. [The win] shows them what happens when you take pride in defense."
Adrianna DeVito, Ali Johnson and Jasmine Davis each scored a team-high of eight points, while Melanie Gordon and Nicole Eatz tied for the team lead in rebounds with eight. Ten players in all reached the scoring column, helping Baldwin prepare for its league opener on December 21 at Mepham on a winning note.
It's quite a turnaround from the three-game skid punctuated by a 68-51 loss to Locust Valley on December 10.
"The biggest difference is realizing what it takes to get to the next level," Jones said. "Losing a couple of games made the team realize that success isn't going to come easy."
The Lady Pirates are quite similar to Baldwin in that they too feature an up-tempo defense and a number of solid perimeter scorers.
Two players who have rapidly started to catch on to Jones' style are Jana Hanson and Sharae Michael, even if they haven't made a large impact in the scoring column just yet.
Hanson's moved up to the varsity level and proven she belongs, stepping into a leadership role on defense and creating a presence on the floor. Michael, meanwhile, is starting to feel comfortable in the low post and honing her game in practice.
