By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

After a round of district play, the Reserve Christian Lady Eagles might be thinking big — as in, district championship big.

Reserve’s 58-36 victory over Phoenix on Tuesday night at RCS locked up perfect 3-0 start for the Eagles in District 10-C, setting the team up to control its own destiny in the stretch run — two more wins would lock up at least a share of the district crown.

“The girls are starting to see their own potential,” said Reserve Coach Richard Englander. “Their level of expectation is going up each day, and they’re playing better and better at practice because of it.”

After a run of games in which the Eagles (7-15, 3-0) got off to a slow start, they encountered no such problems against Phoenix (3-10, 0-1). RCS did trail 12-10 after a quarter, but outscored the opposition 17-6 in the second quarter and then 15-9 in the third. Reserve did not allow Phoenix to score in double figures in any of the final three quarters.

“We really started to press them from the second quarter on,” said Englander. “Once we started turning them over, we were getting layups off of that.”

That press has been a key element in Reserve’s powerful district start.

“We don’t have a lot of height. That’s a way we can utilize our speed, and we’re really starting to take advantage of it,” Englander said.

Three Reserve players scored in double figures, led by Raven Campbell’s 15. Daysha Blount and Jamie Bolden scored 10. Jermani Thompson chipped in nine.

“Everyone’s gaining confidence in our offense,” Englander said. “That’s opening up a wide variety of options for us, and shots are starting to fall.”

Reserve will be off until Feb. 3, giving the Eagles time to rest up for its final three district games. Englander doesn’t believe the break will adversely affect his team.

“We’ll steadily build up our intensity at practice. Right now, we’ll work on our weaknesses,” he said. “Then, as we get closer, we’ll work on building on our strengths.”