APEX — The Lady Cougars of Apex are not only getting in the habit of beating teams, they’re getting in the habit of blowing teams out.

A week after routing rival Cary High 64-32, the Cougars pounced on Fuquay-Varina 70-38 Friday to extend their winning streak to nine games.

The game started out close, with Apex leading 16-13 at the end of the first quarter. That was before Apex coach Scott Campbell got his team playing defense, leading to a 25-6 scoring difference in the second quarter.

“We finally played defense,” Campbell said. “We’re just not getting off to a very good start defensively. We were trading baskets, which is not good. In fact, we were down 12-8. We were really flat from the gate defensively. When we can get it up and down, where we can force the tempo a little bit, we’re OK.”

Apex senior point guard Kim Durham did her part in forcing the tempo, scoring 11 of her game-high 16 points in the second quarter and dishing out two assists to forward Meredith Greene.

According to Durham, it was team defense that made the difference in the game, not her individual play.

“In the beginning, we weren’t playing very good defense,” Durham said. “Then we started picking up our defense, like the Cary game, and it worked.”

Though Apex’s full-court pressure caused problems for Fuquay, Durham said Apex’s half court offense was effective, too.

“We weren’t running the plays,” Durham said. “We were just running and then slowing the ball down. Once we started running plays we started getting more baskets.”

By the end of the third quarter, Campbell could clear his bench for the second straight week. Though Fuquay began scoring, Apex matched its intensity, ultimately holding on for the 70-38 win.

Though Fuquay tried to force turnovers to turn the game around, it got into foul trouble, which allowed Apex to attempt 41 free throws in the game. Fouls, along with Fuquay’s struggle with the Apex’s full-court press, cost the Bengals the game, Fuquay coach Mardy Kutchin said.

“Turnovers killed us,” Kutchin said. “I’m guessing we had over 30 turnovers, and that killed us. And when the other team goes to the free-throw line more than you … that makes a big difference.”

Campbell and the Cougars, sitting at second place in the conference, are riding high. After facing Lee County on Tuesday, they’ll travel to Athens Drive for a showdown with Jaguars, who sit atop the Tri-Eight. Durham, who has been a part of several championship-caliber Apex teams, said this year’s team ranks among the best she has been a part of.

“We have a lot more depth,” Durham said. “Last year we didn’t have as much. I think it really helps. I think we’re as good as we were last year and I think we have the potential to get a lot better.”