The University girls opened the 2023/24 season with a 50-34 loss at Danville.
Junior Anyah Jordan-Turley led the Trailblazers with 19 points, 15 in the second half.
University held their only lead at 6-4 midway through the first quarter on a pair of baskets by sophomore Hannah Grubbs and a Jordan-Turley rebound basket. Addison Davis put Danville on top for good at 8-6 with 3:15 left in the quarter. The Warriors led 14-10 after the first period as University was hampered by seven turnovers.
Sophomore Leah Norvell pulled the Blazers within one point early in the second quarter, splashing a three pointer to cut the lead to 14-13. Danville scored the next nine points for a 23-13 lead before Jordan-Turley broke a four plus minute scoring drought with a pair of free throws. Danville led 24-15 at halftime.
Danville slowly pulled away throughout the second half, leading by as many as 19 points. Davis and Emma Ancelet led Danville with 11 points each.
Grubbs had eight points and nine rebounds for University.
Danville improves to 2-0 on the season. The Trailblazers are next in action Nov. 17 when they travel to Class 4A No. 7 Lawrence Central.
New look
It will be a new look for the University girls basketball team in 2023-24, both on the sideline and on the court.
Coach Justin Blanding has moved to coach the University boys and has been replaced on the sideline by Lisa Pryor. Pryor was an assistant coach on Blanding’s staff in 2018 and 2019. The former Butler player has also coached at Brebeuf Jesuit and Pike. Blanding compiled a 154-40 record in nine years at the helm of the Trailblazers. University won five sectional, three regional and 4 conference championships in Blanding’s tenure.
On the court, University has graduated 1,000-point scorers Payton Seay and Kelsey DuBois, along with multi-year starters Kamryn Washington and Jordan Patterson. The Trailblazers will be a young team in 2023-24.
Only two players who saw action in University’s regional loss to Eastern Hancock return.
Senior Keira Bright (5-5 guard) averaged 5.6 points per game last season off the bench and hit a buzzer beating three pointer to defeat eventual Class 2A state runner-up Lapel.
5-7 junior forward Taylor Seay is the leading returning scorer and only returning starter. Seay averaged 7.6 points per game. Seay is currently sidelined with an injury.
The Trailblazers will be looking to six players moving up from last year’s 14-4 junior varsity team to play key roles in this year’s squad.
5-3 junior guard Anyah Jordan-Turley and sophomores Hannah Grubbs (5-9 forward), Meg Rohloff (5-2 guard), Leah Norvell (5-7 guard), Charlotte Conyers (5-3 guard) and Mack Feeney (5-10 forward) will be part of the Trailblazers rotation.
Pryor is assisted by Michele Roberson and Michael Hubble.
University will not have a junior varsity team this season, with just 12 players on the roster.
DANVILLE 50, UNIVERSITY 34
University FG FT TP PF
Hannah Grubbs 4 0-2 8 3
Meg Rohloff 0 0-0 0 0
Keira Bright 1 0-0 2 4
Anyah Jordan-Turley 6 6-8 19 0
Mack Feeney 0 0-2 0 3
Leah Norvell 1 0-0 3 2
Charlotte Conyers 1 0-0 2 1
Totals 13 6-12 34 13
Score by Quarters
University 10 5 9 10 – 34
Danville 14 10 13 13 – 50
University 3-pointers (2) Norvell, Jordan-Turley.
University rebounds (30) Grubbs 9, Feeney 5, Rohloff 4, Norvell 3, Jordan-Turley 2, team 7.
University roster
Seniors: Keira Bright, Jiyou Lee.
Juniors: Anyah Jordan-Turley, Taylor Seay.
Sophomores: Charlotte Conyers, Mack Feeney, Hannah Grubbs, Naaima Mahmood, Leah Norvell, Samantha Purdie, Meg Rohloff.
Freshman: Jayda Dawn.