After its first five or six wins to start the season, Greenwich High School’s girls basketball team’s early success may have been surprising to some of its rivals, or high school basketball observers. Well, the Cardinals certainly aren’t a surprise anymore, as they have proven just how good a team they are.

Twelve games into the season, the Cardinals are ranked No. 1 in the CIAC Class LL division and have yet to lose a game. Greenwich’s latest conquest came on Jan. 24 against visiting Trumbull.

Leading from start to finish, Greenwich ran its record to 12-0 overall and 7-0 in the FCIAC, registering a well-earned 44-33 win over a tough Trumbull team. The Cardinals led the Eagles, 9-6, after the first quarter, then brought a 23-12 advantage into halftime.

Using an effective man-to-man defense, the Cardinals made it difficult for the Eagles to generate points on offense, especially in the first half. On offense, GHS received solid production throughout, while working hard to find its rhythm.

Greenwich coach Megan Wax discussed her team’s mindset on defense.

“We’re playing terrific teams that are really aggressive and we have to match intensity,” Wax said. “We know that to be great in this league, you can’t just be offense, you can’t have spurts of defense. You need to have a defensive mindset the whole game and you need to be aggressive the whole game.”

Freshman center Zuri Faison continued her sensational first varsity season, scoring a game-high 19 points to pace Greenwich (12-0). Faison scored 14 second-half points, converting several offensive rebounds into points.

Elsa Xhekaj, a freshman guard, turned in another stellar performance in her inaugural varsity season, posting nine points, including one 3-pointer for the Cards. Senior co-captain Alyssa Gath added six points with two 3-pointers in the winning effort.

“Offensively, I think we did a good job of hitting our options,” Gath said. “We looked in, we kicked it out. We saw Zuri in the middle, but then we also hit some shots.”

Junior guard/forward Madi Utzinger scored three points, while grabbing numerous rebounds and assisted on several baskets, junior guard Mikayla Kiernan had three points and senior power forward/co-captain Kate Baxendale and junior guard Juliette Pelham added two points apiece for the host Cardinals.

“I think Trumbull was really gritty and it was definitely a fight for the win,” Baxendale said. “But I think that we’re a disciplined team and even if we make little mistakes, we always find a way to clean it up at the end and come out on top.”

Three pointers by Gath from the left corner and Xhekaj from the right wing, gave GHS a 6-2 lead on Trumbull early in the first quarter. After sophomore forward Carley Johnston made a basket for Trumbull, Gath swished another 3-point shot, putting the Cards in front, 9-4.

“I hit some shots, Elsa hit some shots, Madi hit some shots,” Gath said. “It was great all-around.”

An important 14-3 run to begin the second quarter built Greenwich’s lead on the Eagles from 9-6 to 23-9. Utzinger converted a layup, Kiernan converted a layup, while being fouled, then made the ensuing foul shot, Xhekaj nailed a runner in the lane and Baxendale scored on a layup, making it 23-9 in favor of the host Cardinals.

With Greenwich leading 23-12 to start the third quarter, Faison scored the hosts’ first basket of the second half, converting a shot in the low post. Xhekaj then made a layup, making it 27-12. After an Eagles basket, Faison snared an offensive rebound and scored, giving GHS a 29-14 advantage with 5:10 to go in the third quarter.

“I think that we executed what were hoping to get in the first half,” Wax noted. “We were a little stagnant the whole game offensively. Then eventually, we got a little bit more into our rhythm. Once we jelled a little bit, we did a great job offensively.”

A basket off a putback by Pelham upped Greenwich’s lead to 33-16 late in the third quarter.

“We came into the game knowing we would have to be more aggressive, because we knew that this team was going to be up in our face on man,” Utzinger said. “So, we knew we needed to take care of the ball and I think we did a really good job of taking care of the ball and finding the open person, which we exploited well.”

Faison dominated in the fourth quarter, totaling eight points, while grabbing rebounds on the offensive and defensive backboards.

“We held them to two points for a decent amount of time largely due to our on-ball defense and our rebounding – making sure they didn’t get second shots,” Wax noted.

Senior guard Lily Seltenreich scored eight points, while junior guard Michaela Diamond added seven points for Trumbull (7-5 overall, 4-3 FCIAC). Once again, Greenwich’s defensive effort was sound.

“Our defense is one of our key strengths this season,” Gath said. “That’s helping us on the offensive side too, because we’re getting steals and converting them into points on the other end. I’m excited to keep the winning streak going.”

Said Baxendale of the Cards’ winning streak: “It really goes to show how talented a team we are. Even though there are really tough games, we capitalize off other team’s mistakes and we find a way to continue to grow.”

Greenwich visits FCIAC foe Darien on Tuesday, then hosts Danbury on Friday, as it hopes to keep its perfect season going.

“I’m not sure when the last time this has happened for Greenwich basketball, so we’re honored to be the team bringing attention to girls basketball to our town,” Wax said of her team’s undefeated record. “We are super proud of our girls, they are working really, really hard. But we are trying our best to make sure the focus isn’t on our record, the focus is on our growth.”

“It’s really fun,” Utzinger said of the squad’s 12-0 start. “A lot of teams in the FCIAC didn’t expect it. Everyone is seeing how we are ready to compete with everyone else.”