Rensselaer Central girls basketball unapologetically assertive ... and perfect so far

WEST LAFAYETTE — Rensselaer Central guard Kamri Rowland refused to hide her excitement after she took a charge against West Lafayette with two minutes remaining Thursday night.

Rowland popped up off the floor and clapped in the direction of her West Lafayette High opponents.

Was it polite? No. Does Rowland play with a raging intensity? Yes. So does the rest of her team.

Bodies from the opposing team get bumped on occasion and the hands from Rensselaer Central players are constantly in the fabric of the opposing side's jerseys. The Bombers don't mind fouling either.

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"I try to get these girls to not play like girls if that makes sense," Rensselaer coach Wes Radtke said. "I try to get them to compete at a high rate of speed and some physicality. We're going to get some fouls called on us and we'll accept those, but we know as soon as they get off the bus, the girls are going to be in someone's face from the time the ball tips off to the time it ends."

If fans complain about their physicality, Rowland and her fellow starters Cadence Manns, Carly Drone, Sarah Kaufman and Taylor VanMeter are quick to laugh.

"We just play hard more than the fouls show," Rowland said. "It sometimes depends on the refs, but other times we just play the hardest we can."

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There's nothing soft or finesse about the undefeated Rensselaer Central (18-0) girls basketball team who beat West Lafayette 68-60 on the road and added another impressive road victory to its thick resume on Thursday night.

Rowland scored 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting and her team forced 15 turnovers while a couple of hundred Bombers' supporters traveled from 47 minutes northwest across the Central Time Zone to watch their squad.

Berberian Gymnasium echoed with boos and banter. Just another electric night of pleasantries in Indiana High School basketball.

Drone brought out a glowing blue tooth boom box to celebrate the victory and played the song 'Crank That' by Soulja Boy.

"I think we brought the party," Drone said.

Radtke doesn't mind. Rensselaer Central is winning games and plays a style of defense that's pressures and is unapologetic.

"We're not here to make friends and be nice and cuddly," Radtke said. "We are here to play the game and when we step in between the lines, step on this court - it's all out."

Playing with an edge and swagger stems from last season's 3-point loss to Benton Central in the IHSAA Class 3A Benton Sectional Semifinals.

"There's been a lot of growth I feel like," Rowland said. "Everyone has grown so much over the summer and I feel like we've clicked. We put so much time in the gym."

West Lafayette senior guard Adrianne Tolen scored 30 points after accepting an award for becoming the school's all-time leading scorer. Now the focus shifts into handling pressure better both on the court and from the crowd.

The Red Devils missed 15 free throws against Rensselaer Central. Odds are the Bombers will be waiting again if West Lafayette makes it to the championship.

"You just have to work on your confidence and our kids will go back to work," West Lafayette coach Jane Schott said. "That's the one thing I love about my team. We've hit some adversity this year and it hasn't gone exactly the way we wanted it to in some spots but they've always come back and responded in practice. That's what we expect to do that's what's going to happen tomorrow."

GLA Girls Basketball scores Jan. 11

Rensselaer Central 68, West Lafayette 60

Clinton Central 79, Taylor 38

Twin Lakes 65, North White 22

Tri-County 47, Caston 42

GLA Boys Basketball scores Jan. 11

West Lafayette 61, Rensselaer Central 47

Taylor 75, Clinton Central 34

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Rensselaer Central girls basketball aggressive mindset key to wins