Ariella Henigan, Danielle Brooks lead Kenwood past St. Ignatius

Kenwood had performed well in the first half, but it wasn’t playing its usual fast-paced style. The Broncos were playing at the tempo of St. Ignatius, which played into the Wolfpack’s hands.

But at halftime, the Broncos regrouped behind the words of one of the team’s senior leaders.

“[Senior guard Icesis Thomas] is our hype man,” senior guard Ariella Henigan said. “She always makes sure we’re on track. She gave us a big halftime speech, and that helped us come out and do what we were supposed to do.”

Thomas’ words resonated as the Broncos jumped on the Wolfpack in the third quarter behind a quick 10-0 run. The Broncos were at their best in Tuesday’s 71-50 win against St. Ignatius when they were playing with tempo. Guards Henigan and Danielle Brooks were the catalysts for the offensive breakthrough. Henigan scored 24 points, grabbed six rebounds and three assists. Brooks scored 22 points and dished out five assists.

Despite the double-digit victory, the game was closer than it appeared. St. Ignatius (13-3) made a run in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 10 and hung around in the game until the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.

The Wolfpack’s senior forward, Reganne Reardon, was a handful for Kenwood. Reardon finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds.

“In spurts, we played really good, and then we made some questionable decisions, but we gutted it out,” coach Andre Lewis said.

Not many teams can keep up with the Broncos’ speed. Kenwood (16-1) possesses numerous ballhandlers who can push the pace, which helps create fastbreak chances.

“We run a lot in practice,” Brooks said. “We’re used to it.”

The Broncos scored 42 second-half points. Kenwood did better in the third and fourth quarters by upping the pace. Kenwood's press wore the Wolfpack down, and the Broncos capitalized on their miscues. When the Broncos play at a frenzied yet controlled pace, they’re able to generate wide-open threes and open layups.

Unselfishness permeates throughout the roster. When the Broncos get the ball moving and swing it around the perimeter, they often generate good shots for one another. It’s hard to guard Kenwood when Henigan and Brooks are in rhythm.

Henigan, a Howard commit, and Brooks make for a dynamic backcourt.

“Veteran players doing what veteran players do,” Lewis said. “They’ve been playing together since [Brooks] was in fourth grade and [Henigan] was in fifth grade. They’ve got great chemistry.”

Their commitment to defense and rebounding allows the Broncos offense to thrive. When they’re handling those two facets of the game, it will enable them to get out in transition. Rebounding goes beyond the forwards. Thomas grabbed eight rebounds, Henigan grabbed six and senior forward Diann Jackson grabbed seven.

“We want to play fast,” Lewis said. “When we do that, I don't think there are a lot of teams that want to play at our tempo, so that's always a big thing for us.”

Tuesday was Kenwood’s first home game since Dec. 18. The Broncos went 3-0 in their Christmas tournament out of state. Their last — and only — loss came against Benet on Nov. 30.

The Broncos have seemed to have found their rhythm when it comes to their offensive pace. They’re playing with a cohesiveness that resembles a state-caliber team. Having guards like Brooks — who scored her 1,00th point on Tuesday — and Henigan — who scored her 1,500th point — who can create shots for themselves and others will pay dividends in the pressure-packed moments in February and March.