YOUNG & FEARLESS: Salem underclassmen help fuel 5-1 start
Salem sophomore Julia Steinhebel leads a fastbreak Tuesday night against Walled Lake Central.
With two freshmen shining in its starting line-up (and a third seeing significant playing time), Salem’s girls basketball team has been resembling the word printed on the back of the players’ warm-up jerseys: FEARLESS.
On Tuesday night, the Rocks rolled over visiting Walled Lake Central, 59-18, to improve to 5-1.
The victory came just four nights after Salem overcame a 15-point deficit with four minutes remaining to stun then-undefeated Auburn Hills Avondale, 48-46.
Led by Lainey Claramunt’s 14 points, the Rocks’ ninth-graders combined for 28 points, outscoring their overmatched foes by nine points all by themselves.
Nothing fazes the youngsters
Freshman Stella Stotz added nine points and Lillian Saab chipped in with five in her sixth-man role.
Sophomore Julia Steinhebel and senior Noelle Martinez both scored 11 points.
(To check out video highlights from Tuesday’s game, click here.)
“Watching them play, you wouldn’t know they were freshmen,” Salem Head Coach Rod Wells said of his trio of ninth-grade contributors. “They’re coachable, they love the game and they’re not afraid to make mistakes.
“My initial intention before the season started was to have them come off the bench, but half-way through pre-season practices, we decided that Stella was going to start.
“Lainey was knocking at the door (of the starting line-up) and we finally moved her in there. They’re fearless. The moment is not too big for them.”
Long-range bombers
The Rocks knocked down six three-point shots with five different players registering at least one triple. None of the half-dozen three-point makes were cheap, either, as they all hit nothing but net.
“Our M.O. has been shooting the three ball, and the girls have been playing great defense, too,” Wells noted. “Coach Evan (Paputa) handles the three-point shooting part of our game. They shoot for 30 to 40 minutes every practice.”
Salem raced to a 14-4 lead after one quarter Tuesday night and never looked back, stretching its advantage to 48-14 after three quarters.
“I love that we kept our defensive intensity throughout the game,” Wells said. “Even though we had a big lead, they weren’t looking at the scoreboard, which is what we were emphasizing.
Poise and unselfishness
“We played with poise and shared the basketball, which is always nice to see.”
Although the outcome of the game had long been decided, the basket that got the Rocks the most excited was junior Julia Montgomery’s first varsity three-point make mid-way through the fourth quarter.
“I love that the girls try to get the ball to teammates who may not play a lot or shoot a lot like they did with Julia,” Wells said.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
