Kern Valley varsity player, Jayda Bushling No. 21 looks to pass inside in the game versus the Lady Bobacts. Submitted photos.
Bunting records double-double to lead the way
The Kern Valley varsity girls’ basketball team made short work of their HDL opponent on Dec. 20 when they took on the Lady Bobcats. This would be the last game before the team went on an extended break.
The Lady Broncs controlled the game from the outset as they went on a 15-0 run to begin the contest. The Kern Valley defense smothered their opponents as they limited them to just four points in the initial quarter. It would end with them opening huge margin of 17-4. The defense was credited with 14 steals in the opening quarter of action.
Kern Valley never looked back from this point on as they dominated in the scoring department and the pressure defense led to the huge deficit for their opponents. The Lady Broncs continued to drop in points in the second quarter leaving no doubt to the outcome. They added 14 points to their score and went to the break with a commanding lead.
It was like the game was never interrupted by halftime as Kern Valley began where they left off. The defense was caging the Lady Bobcats, while the offense was rolling. The scoreboard read 52-16 by the time the third quarter ended and the Lady Broncs were one quarter away from staying unbeaten in league action. The final quarter was just a matter of going through the motions until the final horn sounded. Kern Valley would score seven points, while the Lady Bobcats added three points to their total.
Jessie Bunting was the star as she recorded a double-double. She had a team-high in both points and rebounding in doing so. She dropped in 16 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. She added five steals and one assist for the Lady Broncs. Jayda Bushling followed with 15 points and handed out seven assists. Elli Jeans added 10 points, including hitting a pair of three-pointers. She also dished out three assists. Ashley Plante scored five points, including hitting once behind the three-point arc. She also got in on the assists by handing out one. Lennah Troller lifted off once from behind the three-point line for her three points. She would be credited with a pair of assists. Emmalyn Bechtel had four points, while Naomi Tapia scored two points and had three assists. Scarlet Russell and McKayla Bachman rounded out the scoring for Kern Valley as they had two points apiece.
Bechtel pulled down eight boards, while Bushling and Jeans each grabbed seven rebounds for the Lady Broncs. Tapia, Russell, and Bachman secured a pair of rebounds each. Jade Montes recorded a pair of assists, two rebounds, and three assists. Wrapping up the unselfish play was Ava Elliott who recorded three assists. Troller and Bachman were credited with one block each in the contest. Leading the way in steals was Elliott with seven. Troller had five steals, while Jeans, Plante, Montes, and Russell each had three steals. Bushling and Bechtel had two steals apiece, while Bachman rounded out the thefts in the game with one.
Kern Valley has nine wins versus one loss overall and 3-0 HDL. Head coach Bill Gallis said, “I thought the girls put in an outstanding effort on the defensive end tonight. Despite being off for over a week, they showed no signs of rust and came out with incredible energy and focus. The support from the crowd was electric, and the girls really fed off that, using it to fuel their relentless play. Their unselfishness stood out, with 22 assists highlighting how well they worked together to create opportunities for one another.”
He went on to say, “Our effort on the boards was equally impressive, as evidenced by the 27 offensive rebounds, which demonstrated our determination and hustle to fight for every possession. It wasn’t just about individual performances; every player contributed in some way, whether it was scoring, making plays, or providing defensive pressure. Overall, it was a tremendous team effort in front of a packed house, and I couldn’t be prouder of how they performed and represented Kern Valley basketball tonight.”
With the holidays behind them the Lady Broncs will now focus on the rest of the HDL matchups. They played Desert at home on Tuesday and will travel to Frazier Mountain on Friday.
