Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

CORALVILLE – Regina sparkled offensively during a 3-0 start to the season.

The Regals averaged better than 77 points per game and shot nearly 52 percent in three consecutive wins to open the season.

It was defense that lifted Regina to win number four.

Class 2A fifth-ranked Regina forced 35 turnovers and limited Lisbon to 24 percent shooting in a 67-15 win over the Lions in a non-conference contest on Monday at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

“That is one of the things that coach is always adamant about is our defense,” Regina senior guard Morgan Miller said. “We have a lot of offensive weapons and our offense always flows for us but defense is where we need to lock in.”

Miller had a game-high 35 points and freshman Addie McLaughlin added 18 as Regina improved to 4-0.

The Regals shot 50 percent from the floor but it was the defensive pressure that helped Regina roll.

Regina used its defensive pressure to force turnovers and turned many of those Lisbon turnovers in easy transition baskets.

“Defense has been a focus,” Regina coach Mary Rogers said. “It starts everything for us because we want to play fast. It’s very important, we talk about it a lot.”

Led by Miller the Regina pressure defense forced 10 first-quarter turnovers as the Regals raced to a 23-3 lead.

Regina shot 53 percent from the floor in the first half and force Lisbon (1-3) in 19 turnovers while building a 47-13 halftime advantage.

“Defense leads to offense for us,” McLaughlin said. “We get most of our transition buckets from playing great defense.”

Regina trigged the running clock by outscoring Lisbon 10-0 in the third quarter limiting the Lions to just a pair of field goal attempts in the quarter.

Alternating between full court and half court pressure Regina never backed off the defensive intensity.

“We are able to mix up our defenses a lot which I think helps us,” Miller said. “We are very versatile in being able to mix up between zone and man and we have a lot of good athletes so if are playing hard and talking we can get stops and then we can get out and run.”

Caitlin Martin had five points and sophomore Adalee Klein added five points and a team-high six rebounds as Regina finished with a 30-22 rebounding edge.

“Obviously we are playing really well we talk a lot about maintaining and growing,” Rogers said. “We want to make sure we are progressing throughout the season.”

Lisbon                         3    7    0    2   –  15

Regina                        23  24  10  10  –  67

Lisbon (15) – Emersyn Reiter 0-1 0-0 0, Quinn Roos 0-1 1-2 1, Kyla Kahl 1-3 1-2 4, Ava Ahrendsen 1-4 0-0 2, Lohgan Anderson 0-1 0-0 0, Maleeah Adams 0-1 0-0 0, Morgan Sauser 3-5 0-0 8, Kamryn Kahl 0-5 0-0 0, Totals 5-21 2-4 15.

Regina (67) – Morgan Miller 16-22 2-3 35, Nora Wade 1-1 0-0 2, Ella Keune 0-4 0-0 0, Caitlin Martin 2-7 1-2 5, Ella McLaughlin 0-4 0-0 0, Maddie Squiers 0-1 0-0 0, Maggie Sueppel 1-3 0-4 2, Addie McLaughlin 8-12 0-0 18, Adalee Klein 2-6 1-4 5, Totals 30-60 4-13 67.

3-point field goals – Lisbon 3-11 (Ky. Kahl 1-3, Adams 0-1, Sauser 2-4, Ka. Kahl 0-3), Regina 3-10 (Miller 1-4, Keune 0-1, E. McLaughlin 0-2, A. McLaughlin 2-3). Rebounds – Lisbon 22 (Ahrendsen 5), Regina 30 (Klein 6). Total fouls – Lisbon 7, Regina 8. Turnovers – Lisbon 35, Regina 7. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.

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