SLCC's Blake brings intensity to post for Bruins

TAYLORSVILLE — Compared to other centers she routinely faces at the junior college level, Allie Blake might seem out of her element at that position. The freshman's 6-foot frame usually lends a size advantage to other centers who match up against her when their teams face off against Salt Lake Community College.

Few of those players, though, can match the intensity and work rate she brings to the basketball court. The Bruins (13-1) are benefitting from the advantages Blake creates for herself in those areas.

Blake is the no. 2 scorer for SLCC, behind Haley Holmstead, with an average of 10.1 points per game. She is also second in rebounds for the Bruins with 6.2 per game.

Forward is her natural position, but Blake is performing as if center is where she has played her entire basketball career.

"For us right now, we need her to help us in the interior and that's what she's done," SLCC coach Betsy Specketer said. "She's taken her role, accepted it and is really blossoming in it. There's some really strong post play in the Scenic West and she can hang with anybody."

Blake's numbers in conference play certainly bear out the idea that she can hold her own. In six Scenic West games so far, she has averaged 12.8 points per game on 61.7 percent shooting and has collected 6.5 rebounds per game in the same span.

Adjusting to the demands of post play has not been difficult for Blake because she makes an effort to out-hustle bigger players she faces.

"Some of those big girls can go for a bit, but not as long," Blake said. "I just try and outwork them. It doesn't really matter their size."

Perhaps the one area of Blake's game that speaks to her work ethic the best is what she does on the offensive glass. Blake leads the Bruins in offensive rebounds with 2.3 per game and her ability to get inside and clean up has proven invaluable.

Specketer said Blake has an innate ability to track down the ball around the basket. For Blake, hitting the boards comes naturally and she works to use it to her advantage. "I've always been a rebounder," Blake said. "But I think it has progressed a lot at this level — especially now that I'm the center."

BADGERS BOUNCING BACK: Generating positive results has been a chore at times this season for Snow College. Still, the Badgers found a way to close out the old year in winning fashion.

Buoyed by a series of strong outings from Jordan Wood, Snow (6-9) claimed victory in two of its final three non-conference games last week.