The number 20 might not have been a winning one in the state lottery last Thursday, but it was still a lucky one for the Lake Orion girls? basketball squad.
Bethany Watterworth and Courtney Zott each scored 20 points, as the Dragons overcame a slow start to top visiting Oak Park by 20 points in the team’s OAA III opener.
It was also the team’s 20th win in the past two seasons.
The junior duo scored all 22 of Lake Orion’s first half points, as the Dragons trailed for much of the half before taking a two-point lead into the break (that’s right, Oak Park had 20 first half points).
A 25-point explosion in the third quarter gave LO a sizeable double-digit lead that they never relinquished, as the Dragons cruised to a 64-44 victory and a 3-0 start to the season.
‘We were getting good shots, but not making them,? Coach Steve Roberts said of his team’s 8-for-28 performance in the first half. ‘We discussed the intensity and come out in the second half. Cortney Kimmel hit a three and the pendulum started to swing our way.?
Melanie LaMerato added nine points for Lake Orion and Watterworth and Zott finished with 13 and nine rebounds, respectively.
Lake Orion ventures to the road for a huge league showdown with Stoney Creek on Friday. Like the Dragons, the Cougars feature a strong group of returning players, led by Britney Nelson.
‘Our expectations are that we’re the favorite,? Roberts said. ‘If we play the way we’ve been playing, we’re confident that we can handle them.?