Merow, Rauch, Miller and company have the Port girls rolling
The competition wasn’t exactly at the level coach Dave Ross was hoping for, but that didn’t keep the Port Washington High School girls’ basketball team from playing hard and fast in two blowouts at the Brookfield Central Thanksgiving Shootout last weekend.
The Pirates beat Wauwatosa East, 91-19, on Friday, and South Milwaukee, 69-15, on Saturday.
Ross said the tournament was grouped by teams’ records from last season — Port was under .500 — but he didn’t expect these types of results.
I didn’t think that we would go out and have the kind of dominance against some of these teams. We’re not used to that in conference play,” Ross said.
“Our objective was we practice certain things. Let’s continue to do what we do.”
In the opener, junior forward Norah Merow shot 10-for-11 from the field and scored 22 points while grabbing eight rebounds. Sophomore forward Delaney Rauch shot 8-for-10 and scored 17 points while making four steals.
Senior guard Hope Gilhooly had eight points, seven rebounds and six assists. Senior point guard Sierra Miller had nine points and eight assists. Senior forward Lillian Merow had 12 points and eight rebounds. Senior guard Maggie Zirbes had seven points and five rebounds.
On Saturday, Norah Merow had 15 points, 10 rebounds and four steals. Rauch had 12 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Gilhooly had three points, six rebounds, five steals and three assists. Miller had seven points, six assists, four rebounds and four steals. Zirbes had nine points and four steals.
Port had 31 steals one day after making 20 swipes.
“I thought our kids played really hard. In the first game we were really effective. In the second game we weren’t, but we played hard not to make it close,” Ross said.
He praised the play of Norah Merow, who said she wasn’t sure where she fit on the team coming into the season.
“I knew she probably had a good chance of starting, she didn’t know that,” Ross said. “During summer she started to understand she is pretty good, and now she’s doing it in these games. She’s just building confidence and playing at a very high level.”
She and Lillian, both eclipsing 6 feet tall, make a formidable pair.
“Along with her sister, you have a post presence that most people don’t have. They’re working very hard to run the floor and be effective,” Ross said.
He said Ruach played well, as well as Gilhooly, who notches stats in every category.
“It’s not one thing she does. She kind of does everything,” he said. “It’s always nice to have a player like that.”
Ross said he knows North Shore Conference play will be different.
Port, 3-0, was to host Slinger on Tuesday. The Pirates play at Whitefish Bay on Thursday, Dec. 5, and host Nicolet on Tuesday, Dec. 10.
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