The Husky girls couldn’t miss the hoop Friday night at home against Banks as they built up a 55-51 win.
The Huskies led 15-11 after the first quarter and were tied 27-27 at halftime.
They shot 43 percent on the game, “which for us, is a good percentage, a good percentage for anyone,” Coach Jason Gorham said. “We normally shoot down closer to 30 percent, 35 percent.”
That’s one of the nice things about playing at home, Coach Gorham said. Close shots are more likely to fall in.
“We shot the ball much better,” Coach Gorham said. “Some of that was we were working our offense, getting good looks at the basket.”
The Huskies didn’t shoot quite as well in the second half, and Banks even managed to scratch out a couple of two-point leads, but the Huskies captured the momentum and finished the third quarter leading 40-34.
The last three minutes of the game, Banks put on a press an forced a couple of turnovers, but the girls stayed strong through the end and got the stops they needed to finish the game.
“Our bench came in and played well,” Coach Gorham said. “Sara Brocard came in and had seven points and a couple of rebounds down the stretch.”
Banks is a good team probably second or third in its league, Coach Gorham said, and it’s one of the better teams the Huskies have played.
Balanced scoring helped pave the way past Banks, Gorham said.
Ashlee Flanagan led Husky scoring with 12 points. Chelsea Hackworth added 11; Hannah Swanson, eight; Brocard, seven; Tabbi Trahan, five; Dani Thireault, four; Nicki Aerni, four; and Korina Thompson, four.
“Nicki Aerni passed the ball very well for us,” Coach Gorham said. “She had seven assists in the game.”
The Huskies are 4-8 after Banks. League play opened this week on Tuesday at home against Molalla. Information on the game was unavailable at press time.
“We wanted to get that win at Newport,” Coach Gorham said. “We felt like we were a better team.”
Still, Coach Gorham thinks it was a good week leading into league play.
Newport slipped by the Huskies 44-42 on Jan. 11 at Newport.
Newport led 12-11 after the first quarter, but the Huskies built a 15-point lead in the second forcing turnovers and scoring in transition.
“They scored six straight points to finish the second half, got some momentum and got in the game,” Coach Gorham said. The Huskies led 29-20 at halftime.
“Especially in the first half, we played really well, some of the best basketball we’ve played all year,” Coach Gorham said. Newport adjusted well and iced the Husky offense in the third, leading 35-32 at the end of the quarter.
“We had our chances at the end of the game,” Coach Gorham said. “But the ball just didn’t bounce in.”
Hackworth, shooting 7-9 from the field, led the Huskies with 15 points. Aerni had eight; Flanagan, seven; Swanson, seven; Trahan, four; and Thireault, one.
The freshmen defeated Newport. They did not play against Banks.
The junior varsity lost to Newport but defeated Banks.