You know what they say: defense wins championships.
Well, if the old sports adage holds true, then the Lady Cavs are doing everything right in their quest to win their first CSAC title since 2009.
The Lady Cavs are allowing an average of 44.6 points per game, tops in the league by three points. But if you needed any indication of just how strong this Lady Cavs defense is, all you needed to do was watch Monday night’s game.
The Lady Cavs allowed a total of eight first-half points to Notre Dame of Maryland. Eight.
It’s an unfathomable number in basketball.
And despite the fact that Notre Dame of Maryland is only averaging 38.4 points per game, the Lady Cavs seemed more than up to the task on Monday night.
For a team that has a starting lineup that has become more than familiar with each other on the court, the results show dramatically. Results like Monday’s final score only come every so ofter, no matter what the records of the two teams playing.
Don’t let the Lady Cavs’ 3-2 record fool you. They have been very much a part of all five games they have played so far.
That 3-2 record is also only the beginning. Now that the team has entered conference play, the games matter so much more. As the schedule progresses – the Lady Cavs have games against Immaculata and Baptist Bible this week – the Lady Cavs could have a 3-0 CSAC record. There’s a good chance of that happening if the defense they pride themselves on is on par with Monday’s game.
It sounds like a total cliche to say defense wins championships. But really, there couldn’t be a truer statement in sports.
The best offense is a good defense. In basketball, a good defense is limiting possessions, creating turnovers and forcing misses on shots. The Lady Cavs have done all three very well to this point in the season.
Last season for the Lady Cavs was not easy. There were many games where they were outplayed and they finished with an average 12-14 record and an exit from the CSAC Tournament in the quarterfinals.
This season, with many of the same players returning, the Lady Cavs look like they are on a mission. They honestly look like they can’t be stopped.
Perhaps that is fueled from last season. Perhaps that is the result of another season with a familiar core. As long as they keep letting the defense power the offense, they are certainly on there way to something special.
It’s too early to tell what direction the season is headed. But for a team that started strong last season and faded thanks to a six-game losing streak, the determination seems higher and the expectations seem like nothing less than a CSAC title.
So with menacing defense, the Lady Cavs are after something big this season. And no matter who the opponent is, they won’t back down from anybody. So watch out, CSAC.
