The Park University Gilbert women's basketball team is slowly but surely starting to get healthy.  The Buccaneers got another one of their missing pieces back in power forward Haley Valencia after getting guard Jayla Reliford back early in the week. Both of those players were key as Park Gilbert won a non-conference game 83-73 against fellow Cal Pac member Saint Katherine at the USK Sports Complex in San Marcos, Calif.

"We played one of our more efficient first halves of the season," said Buccaneers head coach Jeff Fore. "We controlled the tempo very well and played unselfishly."

The Bucs led by 19 at halftime after a first half which saw both Valencia (10) and Macy Markus (12) score in double figures. The Bucs shot 55 percent from the floor and a season best 60 percent from three-point range for a half as they knocked down 6-10 shots from beyond the arc. The Bucs had 11 of their season high 18 assists as a team in the first half.

At halftime it looked as if the Bucs would roll to an easy victory, but the Firebirds showed they are a scrappy bunch as they outscored the Buccaneers 30-15 in the second quarter to cut the lead to four after the three frames.  USK, who shoots 29 percent from three-point range on the season, made four of six three-pointers in the third which aided in its comeback effort. The Bucs struggled from beyond the arc in the second half only making one of 13 attempts from long range.

The Firebirds had all the momentum headed into the final quarter as they looked to make a massive comeback.  The game remained tight as USK would score to bring the game close, then Park Gilbert would answer with one or two buckets of their own to give themselves breathing room.  With the Bucs up 72-66, the Firebirds went on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to one.  USK made one of two free throws to cut it to one with 4:26 to go and then after a Reliford missed three on the other end, had a 10-foot jumper to take the lead and missed. It would be the last opportunity the Firebirds would have as the Bucs went on an 11-2 run to close the game and win by 10.

Markus completed a three-point play with a hoop and harm layup and free throw.  Then Maddison Chappell knocked down an elbow jump shot with 2:28 left to extend the lead to six. After a USK layup cut it to four, Valencia made a layup to make the lead six again with 1:53 remaining. After a USK turnover and misses on both ends of the floor, the Firebirds had to foul to stop the clock and put the Bucs on the line in the hopes of making a comeback.  The only problem was they had only committed two team fouls for the quarter so they would need to commit three fouls before the Bucs would have to step to the charity stripe.  On its fourth foul, USK was charged with an intentional foul on Reliford, which would give the Bucs two free throws and the ball.  Kayla Schroeder made both intentional foul free throws and to make the lead eight and Reliford made a couple more down the stretch to polish off the a 10-point win.

"For the second game in a row we came out flat in the third quarter and shot poorly." said Fore. "To our credit, we did not panic and made some key plays down the stretch to pull away."

Markus led the Bucs with 21 points and added seven rebounds, Schroeder added 17 points and a career high six assists. Valencia kicked in with 16 points and a team high eight rebounds.  Reliford added five points and five assists. Jenny Todd led the Bucs off the bench with eight points, shooting 2-3 from three-point range. Reliford and Chappell led the Bucs with three steals on the defensive end.

Park Gilbert has two home games remaining before taking time off for the holidays.  The Bucs will face off with Bethesda next Friday, December 17 at 6 p.m. and then take on Mount Marty on Sunday, December, 19 at 5 p.m. Those two teams have a combined record of 1-27 on the season as of tonight.