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TOWAMENCIN - Lato’sha Reves laughed when asked if she and her teammates knew how to react when their team had opened up a 20-point lead in Monday night’s game against Harry S. Truman.“No,” the Golden Bears’ senior guard said. “It’s never happened.”
For an Upper Moreland squad that had lost its first five games of the season, Monday’s 43-20 win over Truman in the opening round of the Christopher Dock Girls’ Basketball Tournament was very sweet indeed.
“We really thought about how much we wanted to win this game,” Reves said. “We thought about how much we had to do, and we came out and did it.”
The win sets up a showdown with host Dock in Tuesday’s title game – the Pioneers cruised to a 60-40 win over Phil-Mont Christian Academy in the other opening round contest, but for one night, the Golden Bears wanted to savor a victory that equaled last year’s win total for the season.
“You know what – we lost a winnable game last Wednesday against ANC by three points,” Golden Bear coach Ryan Staub said. “We had never been in that position before. We didn’t know how to win.
“We missed 16 free throws in that game, and we talked about executing when we had the opportunities, being able to make shots and keeping our heads up. We didn’t score for the first five minutes tonight, and I thought, ‘Here we go again,’ but they really picked it up.”
Talk to the players, and it’s clear they don’t lack for motivation despite their program’s struggles.
“We just love to play basketball,” Reves said. “We all keep each other going, keep each other up, keep thinking we can get better – we’re still in it.”
“Everyone on the team likes each other,” junior Christie Graf said. “Everyone doesn’t mind coming to practice because it’s a chance to see each other.”
On the other side of the court, Truman coach Byron Conover was puzzled by his team’s showing.
“I’m embarrassed for the program and for the school,” he said. “In my four years, this was the worst showing we have had.
“I knew it when we came out there that there was no focus in their eyes. I give the Upper Moreland girls credit - they were looking for their first win too. I teach competing to the highest level, but we did not compete. I’m very disappointed.”
Neither team exactly set the world on fire in a first quarter that saw the teams deadlocked 6-6 at the end of the frame. Truman’s Emily Cowan scored on a drive to open the second quarter, but Reves, who led all scorers with 13 points, answered for the Golden Bears.
Upper Moreland went on top 10-8 after Reves sank a pair from the charity stripe, and back-to-back baskets by Katie Costello and Jennifer Swiski - Swiski’s after an offensive rebound – put the Golden Bears on top 14-8.
A fastbreak bucket by Reves after a Truman turnover gave the Bears a 17-8 lead.
“We try to be aggressive,” Reves said. “Put as much pressure on as possible, get more opportunities so we can get easy points.”
A basket by Truman’s Shakeira Gilbert made it a 17-10 game, but Shannon Datts, just back from an injury, scored after pulling down an offensive board. 
“This is her second game back, and she had eight points, which is big for us,” Staub said of Datts. “She didn’t have a lot of practice time, but she played big for us.”
Graf sank a pair from the foul line in the closing seconds of the quarter to send Upper Moreland into halftime with a 21-10 lead.
“She’s like our point guard,” Staub said of Graf. “She had 12 rebounds, which speaks volumes about her effort. That’s huge. I ask her to cover the other team’s biggest center, and she does that for us.”
Armed with a lead, the Golden Bears weren’t about to give it up. They led 29-13 after Graf scored from the top of the circle and stretched that lead to 33-13 after back-to-back baskets by Reves and Katie Costello to close out the quarter.
A putback by Reves and a pair of foul shots by Graf put the Golden Bears on top 37-13, and an Erin Dixon fast break basket made it 39-13. It was 41-14 after Sam Balcerak connected for a deuce before the Tigers closed it out with a 6-0 run that included a pair of Michelle Vitale baskets.
“We’re 300 percent better than this, and the kids know it,” said Conover, who starts three seniors and two juniors. “We couldn’t make a shot, we couldn’t defend. I told the girls, ‘Basketball is a game of emotion. Where was ours?’
“If you don’t come to play, on any given night you can be beat. For my girls to not show up and compete is not acceptable. I’m happy for Upper Moreland. They got their first win. “
UPPER MORELAND 43, HARRY S. TRUMAN 20
Harry S. Truman (20) – Elisah Dupree 0 0-0 0, Shalaya Lynch 0 1-2 1, Erica Rogers 1 0-0 2, Shakeira Gilbert 2 1-2 5, Rebecca Walker 1 0-0 3, Emily Cowan 1 1-2 3, Nieyan Brooks 1 0-2 2, Michelle Vitale 2 0-0 4. Totals 8 3-7 20.
Upper Moreland (43) – Erin Dixon 1 1-2 3, Lato’sha Reves 5 3-7 13, Shannon Datts 3 2-4 8, Christie Graf 1 4-4 6, Katie Costello 3 1-2 7, Jennifer Swiski 2 0-0 4, Mary Pat Doyle 0 0-0 0, Debbie Lim 0 0-0 0, Sam Balcerak 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 11-19 43.
Harry S. Truman 6 4 3 7-20
Upper Moreland 6 15 12 10-43
Three-point goals: Rebecca Walker.
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