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Northmont girls basketball faces big challenges

Area powers Fairmont, Centerville, Alter coming up for Thunderbolts.

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By Greg Billing, Staff Writer Updated 12:35 AM Friday, December 16, 2011

Consider the Northmont High School girls basketball team ahead of schedule.

In four of the past six seasons, the Thunderbolts needed double-digit games to net four wins. The Thunderbolts — who needed 11 games last season and 10 two seasons ago — did it in five games this season.

The Thunderbolts are 4-1 overall, and at 1-0 in the Greater Western Ohio Conference they share the Central Division lead with Fairmont and Centerville.

And, appropriately enough, those are the Thunderbolts’ next two opponents.

Northmont is at Fairmont at 1 p.m. Saturday and hosts Centerville at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Oh, and Northmont plays 5-0 Alter on Dec. 23.

Seniors Ashtyn Payne (13.8 points per game), Krista Knapke (11.2 points, 7.2 rebounds) and Courtney Sweet (10 points) lead a Northmont team that is outscoring opponents by an average score of 54-42.

Perfect start: Of the 14 teams in the Girls Greater Cincinnati League, only three remain undefeated. All three reside in the Grey North Division.

Carroll (6-0), Chaminade Julienne (6-0) and Alter (5-0) have accounted for 17 of the GGCL’s 35 wins entering Thursday night’s games.

The perfect start for one of those teams will soon change: Alter is at Carroll on Tuesday.

Streaking: Valley View junior Zach Denny has a streak of 14 straight games scoring in double digits dating back to last season, which isn’t bad.

But it’s the point totals he’s putting up that are impressive.

In those 14 games, Denny has topped 21 points or more 13 times. He had 18 in the other.

Denny opened the season with 42 points. He’s topped 30-plus in seven of his last 14 games.

Power game: Senior Elizabeth Haley continues to be a strong presence for the Oakwood Jills.

The 6-foot-1 forward entered the week averaging 18.3 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks for the Jills, who snapped a three-game losing streak with a 39-37 win against Brookville on Monday. Haley scored 14 points in the win.

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