Experienced LeClaire, newcomer White lead Owen J. Roberts past Council Rock South
BUCKTOWN >> It’s just a turn of the calendar. But in the grand scheme of a four-year career as a high school athlete, there’s no bigger transition than from sophomore to junior year.
No “underclassmen” excuses anymore. And that sounds great to Owen J. Roberts junior Olivia LeClaire.
“My first two years I kind of backed off at times because I didn’t always know where my place was,” LeClaire said. “Now I know that I need to step up, I’m a higher authority and let my teammates know what we need to do to accomplish our goals.”
It’s not like LeClaire was a wallflower in her first two seasons – after all, she is one of just two returning Mercury All-Area first team players from a year ago.
An emboldened LeClaire and the Wildcats got the season started right Friday night with a 48-44 victory over Council Rock South in the opening game of the Owen J. Roberts Tip-Off Tournament.
LeClaire scored a team-high 14 points and promising freshman point guard Avery White added 12 as Owen J. Roberts (1-0) used an 11-2 run at the end of the third quarter to swing the game in its favor.
Council Rock South (0-1) had a trio of double-digit scorers, sophomore Nicole Blaustein (17), junior Hannah Binder (12) and sophomore Carley Irvin (11).
“I knew we would come out strong because our practices have been looking really good,” LeClaire said. “We didn’t lose a lot of players, but we gained some freshmen, the sophomores got stronger. Last year I felt like we played as individuals but this year it feels like more of a team setting.”
OJR went young last year and is returning four of five starters while Diana Rantz (7 points) is the team’s lone senior. With the experience gained from last year when they went 11-11 overall (3-7 PAC Liberty), the Wildcats are looking to contend for Pioneer Athletic Conference and District 1 playoff spots.
“With the same group coming back, each person has a goal and a role. We know what we need to do together to make it happen,” LeClaire said.
It was a close first half that saw Rock South answer every OJR run, going on a 8-0 run to take its first lead (21-20) after an OJR streak on and-1s from junior Hannah Clay and White gave the Wildcats’ their biggest early lead (6).
The Wildcats looked to have the lead into the break but Irvin hit her third 3-pointer of the second quarter ahead of the buzzer for a 28-26 CRS halftime lead.
A rocky first few minutes of the third quarter changed when LeClaire upped her assertiveness, scoring six in a row for the Wildcats as part of the pivotal swing late in the third quarter.
“When everyone’s getting hectic, I feel the need to calm everyone down and kind of take over and help the team stay in check,” LeClaire said.
The pressing Hawks got to within one at 44-43 on Blaustein buckets but Maddi Koury (8 points) and Rantz got the lead back at the free-throw line and White did very well as primary ballhandler in her first varsity outing.
LeClaire was full of praise for the Wildcats’ new addition who was even sure of coming out for the team.
“I told her, ‘you’re going to be such a big part of the team.” She thought she wouldn’t get playing time. I was like, ‘You will get playing time. You need to come to practice and be here.” And obviously the first game she showed out with 12 points already which is great and I already feel like I have a chemistry with her.”
NOTES >> OJR will meet the winner of Northampton and Cheltenham in the championship game at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. CR South will meet the loser of that matchup.
