AURORA — It was a solid victory against a scrappy league opponent that refused to go away.
Still, for a while the Grandview girls basketball team was concerned it might have to temper its victory celebration after dispatching Mullen 64-50 in a Class 5A Centennial League game Friday night.
Despite securing a victory that improved Grandview’s record to 13-4 and 7-1 in the league, the No. 9-ranked Wolves spent much of the game fretting the status of leading scorer Adaeze Obinnah. The 6-foot-1 sophomore forward suffered a left knee injury midway through the second quarter and did not return.
Afterward, Grandview coach Josh Ulitzky said the injury is not believed to be serious, although Obinnah will be re-evaluated in the next few days.
“We got a little rattled when Adaeze went out. I think the kids got a little freaked out,” Ulitzky said.
“Everybody else just settled down and stepped up. Our bench was huge for us. The seniors really calmed everyone down, and it was a good win all the way around.”
Obinnah had scored eight points before collapsing when a Mullen player fell into the side of her knee during a chase for a loose ball with 4:48 remaining in the first half. Obinnah did not put weight on the leg as she was helped from the court, and she returned to the Wolves’ bench in the second half with an ice bag.
The setback seemed to throw the Wolves for a loop. After taking a 34-23 lead into halftime, Mullen (8-9, 4-4) used a 14-3 run at the outset of the third quarter to tie the game 37-37.
Grandview, though, answered by scoring 10 consecutive points and put the game away with a 10-2 run to start the fourth.
“As our leading scorer, we got a little worried wondering if (Obinnah) is going to be OK the rest of the season, because we need her,” said Grandview sophomore Natasha Edge, who scored a game-high 25 points. “But we took care of business and kept going.”
Mullen 13 10 16 11 — 50
Grandview 20 14 13 17 — 64
Mullen — Majewski 1 1-3 3, Holland 3 6-10 14, Curneen 1 2-2 5, Becker 1 0-0 2, Burt 6 3-4 15, Lembeck 0 1-2 1, Hawkins 4 2-2 10, Diaz 0 0-0 0, Skene 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 15-23 50.
Grandview — Molnar 0 0-0 0, Obinnah 3 2-2 8, Edge 7 9-11 25, Cunningham 2 1-2 5, Blanford 4 4-7 12, Kemp 3 1-2 8, Genovese 0 2-2 2, Lanier 1 0-0 2, Olsen 0 2-2 2, Dreman 0 0-0 0. Totals 20 21-28 64.
3-point goals — Holland 2, Curneen; Edge 2, Kemp. Fouls — M 20, G 20. Technicals — M, Burt; G, Olsen.
