The stories about Bishop Noll freshman Courtney Blakely were all over the Warriors’ student section.
“She dropped 50 (points) on my middle school team,” one student said.
Another Noll student topped that, saying “She had 55 against mine.”
Blakely made her high school debut at home Tuesday night against Highland, scoring a team-high 24 points as the Warriors beat the Trojans 54-48.
“She did what we were asking her to do,” Bishop Noll coach Vanita Golston said. “We expected her to come out aggressive, push the ball, run the floor and look for open lanes to reward her teammates for running the floor.”
Blakely’s varsity debut did not start as well, though, as the 5-foot-7 guard missed on her first six shots. She warmed up near the end of the first quarter and had 14 points by halftime.
That helped Bishop Noll (1-0) rally from an early 8-0 deficit to take a 27-23 halftime lead over Highland (0-2).
While Blakely handled the ball for the Warriors, sophomore Kristian Steele — a junior forward who transferred from Morton — controlled the inside with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
“I’ve only been working in the post for the last two years,” Steele said. “My sister really loved playing the post, so I’ve looked to her a lot.”
Senior guard Faith Jackson added 11 points for the Warriors, who stayed ahead of the Trojans for the entire second half.
Highland got within two points early in the third, but Noll extended its lead to 44-35 by the end of the quarter and then never led by fewer than six points in the fourth.
While Blakely led Noll, junior Michaela Schmidt had a double-double for Highland, finishing with 27 points and 12 rebounds.
More Top Picks Best Weighted Lap Pads For Classrooms
Highland coach Tracie Mezera-Juarez said that’s going to be a common theme for Schmidt thanks to her development in the offseason.
“She worked her butt off over the summer,” Mezera-Juarez said. “She played in a competitive program over the summer and worked hard every day when she was with us. You’re going to see those types of numbers from her all year.”
Highland shot 42 percent (16-for-38) and committed 28 turnovers in the loss. Junior guard Morgan Rinkema added 13 points and eight rebounds.
“There were a lot of good stretches for us on offense and defense,” Mezera-Juarez said. “Just not enough in crunch time.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.