Zora Watts pads the stats for DeKalb in first start, blowout of Rochelle

DeKALB – Zora Watts made the most of her first start Monday.

The DeKalb junior forward had a game-high 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and the Barbs won 66-29 against Rochelle, their fifth win in six games to start the year.

“I have a moment and I’m just ready to seize it,” Watts said. “Picking up for my teammate, it’s just my moment to shine with all of my teammates, as well.”

Watts earned the start in place of Kiki Mitchell, who sprained an ankle against Harlem last week. Coach Bradley Bjelk said Mitchell is day-to-day.

He said he liked how Watts filled in Monday.

“She’s super confident,” Bjelk said. “She just goes out there, plays hard and performs. Great kid.”

As has been the case for the Barbs (5-1) this season, they won behind a stifling defense. It was the third time they’ve held a team under 30 points and are 5-0 this year when they give up 46 or fewer points.

Watts said the key is communication.

“It’s not just from the floor, but the bench, as well,” Watts said. “Playing together, not just being one-on-one, but playing all together.”

After the game was tied at 2, the Barbs scored eight straight – the first five by Olivia Schermerhorn. They led 20-6 late in the first quarter and 34-9 in the second against the Hubs (2-2).

“We rep a lot of fundamentals, and everybody has bought in,” Bjelk said. “They realize how important defense is. These girls are athletic, they’re physical, so that just feeds into what our defense does.”

Rochelle opened the second half with a couple of 3-pointers and got to within 41-21 barely a minute into the third quarter. But the Barbs rattled off 10 straight, the last four of which were points off steals by Watts – one ending with a Schermerhorn layup and one ending on a layup by Watts herself.

Bjelk said the team showed off how competitive it is in answering Rochelle’s third-quarter spurt.

“There’s runs of course. There’s going to be runs for us and runs against us,” Bjelk said. “You can’t get caught up in the past, you’re just moving on to the next opportunity. And I think this group does a really good job of buckling down when there is adversity and D-ing up.”

DeKalb forced 24 turnovers in the game, leading to 22 points. Ella Medina had four steals, and Schermerhorn, Brytasia Long, Alicia Johnson and Nazeria Dean had two each.

Schermerhorn finished with 11 points, Ella Russell with 10, Long with nine and Johnna Patrick with eight.

“We came out and played intense on defense,” Bjelk said. “That’s always kind of our motivating factor. We were able to get everybody in the game, as well. Some of the players that are great role players in practice and able to help us did a great job and were able to see some minutes. And they kept that intensity up, too.”