Fontbonne’s scoring tandem shares spotlight in win over St. Edmund
Last week Fontbonne defeated cross-borough rival St. Edmund Prep, 44-28. The scoring tandem of freshman Noelle Polanco (16 points) and senior captain Aaniya Telford (21 points and 7 steals) recorded a total of 37 of Fontbonne’s 44 points against the Eagles.
Just two weeks ago at home against Cathedral, varsity newcomer Polanco scored a career-best 31 points, and now stands as the team’s second-leading scorer with 72 points. Telford, the team’s leading scorer (80 points), fed the freshman with 12 assists throughout that game. Comparatively, both players are defensive equals, but differ significantly in their offensive style. While Telford intensely pounds the ball right off the dribble with a powerful shot or a hard drive to the basket, Polanco effortlessly cruises down-court for an easy floater or a slicing lay-up.
“To think that Noelle was playing against eighth-graders just a few months ago, and now she’s facing varsity competition is remarkable,” said coach Steve Oliver. “Noelle even surprises me with some of the moves she comes up with. She’s still learning a lot each game and getting better while she does.”