The Kennedy girls ironed out a few problems on offense when it applied a pressing defense to start the second half.

Kennedy scored 18 points in the first four minutes of the third quarter - matching its first-half total - and beat Pleasant Valley, 58-44, Saturday night in a nonconference game at Kennedy.

“We came out in the second half playing a press to provide us a spark of intensity. We had no intensity in the first half,” explained Kennedy Coach Dennis Roloff.  “That intensity was all it took.”

The first half was played to a rather lack-luster 18-18 tie.  In the second half, Roloff moved Courtney Strait to the point on offense and she combined with freshman Stephanie Botkin for 30 second-half points. Pleasant Valley (2-1) could not find an answer to the Cougar high-low combination.

“When we talked at half time we said we had to get the ball to Botkin in the second half and coach thought we may be able to move the ball a little better if I was up top to throw over their defense,” said Strait.  “When they collapsed on her I got good shots and when they moved out on me she got good shots.”

Strait finished with 18 points and Botkin worked the lane for 20 for the Cougars (2-1).

“My teammates really do a nice job of getting me the ball and when the coach says they are going to get me the ball and I have to score, it really makes me focus.” explained Botkin.  “When it begins to get physical, it really makes the game more intense and exciting.”

Roloff said Strait, a third team all-stater a year ago, was the right person to move to the point.

"Courtney has the most experience and she will find the open player," he said. "The rest are still learning the game and Courtney is still learning about them. Botkin is only a freshman, and except for Courtney, we don’t have a lot of other experience out there,” said Roloff.

Maddie Reynolds led Pleasant Valley with 12 points and Chloe Miller added 10.

Kennedy’s next game Tuesday at home against Dubuque Hempstead.

PLEASANT VALLEY (44): Waterman 0 3-4 3, Johnson 1 3-10 5, Spelhaug 1 0-0 2, Miller 5 0-0 10, Doyle 1 2-3 4, Hoeltin 0 0-2 0, Reynolds 5 1-1 12, Rockey 2 1-3 6, Bradley 1 0-0 2, Tuttle 0 0-0 0.  Totals 16 11-23 44.

KENNEDY (58): Meier 2 0-0 4, Strait 5 5-5 18, Simmons 2 0-0 4, Johnson 1 0-0 2, Botkin 6 8-12 20, Hendrickson 1 5-6 7, Holmes 0 0-2 0, Wagner 0 1-2 1, Zinser 1 0-2 2, Davis 0 0-0 0.  Totals 18 19-29 58.

Halftime — Pleasant Valley 18, Kennedy 18. 3-point goals — Pleasant Valley 2 (Reynolds 1, Rockey 1), Kennedy 3 (Strait 3). Fouled out -- None.