Ken Roberts
For The New Era
After a full week of four games with no full practices between them, coach John Barnes is pleased with the girls basketball team’s effort and ability to learn as they go, despite losing all four games.
“It’s been a challenge,” Barnes said, referring to the team’s lack of practice. “We’re just trying to take a step forward, whether it’s a big or little one.”
Barnes is varying his rotations, still trying to find the right combinations with his young team that now includes four freshmen. They are still working out other team objectives, trying to keep everyone together and focused on the team goals.
Senior Paige Niemi thinks the defense has been superior to their offensive play.
“Our communication is pretty good,” said Niemi. “We started talking a lot more in our last game against Junction City.”
On offense, she hopes the team can execute their plays better in the three games next week.
“Sometimes we go through our offense really fast and are too impatient,” she noted.
“We just try to get the shot up too quickly.”
The schedule does not slow down for the Huskies, who go on the road for three games, which started with Creswell on Monday followed by Yamhill-Carlton on Wednesday and Estacada on Friday. The Huskies had their first practice in a week on Tuesday.
Given the situation, Barnes knows his team will continue to work hard.
“We’re not as good as we could be,” explained Barnes, “but not as bad as other teams might think.”
Phoenix 62, Sweet Home 27
Jenny Hamn scored the first two points of the game, but a quality Phoenix team bounced back with an 11-0 run before Megan Rubidoux sank two free throws for the Huskies. However, Phoenix dominated the first three quarters of the game and never let Sweet Home back in to the contest. Hamn led the Huskies in both scoring and rebounding after turning in a very strong fourth quarter.
Sweet Home: Hamn 13, Rubidoux 7, Cole 2, Yost 2, Makin 2, Justham 1, Niemi, Cuilla, Davis, Riggs, Whitfield
Phoenix: George 15, Passante 10, Helm 8, Welburn 6, Bradfield 6, Smith 6, Hendricks 4, Tally 3, Engle 2, Heath 2
Scio 61, Sweet Home 47
Bolstered by some strong play from several freshmen, the Huskies controlled the first half of the game, 26-19. Sweet Home scored the first six points of the game, but Scio came back to tie it up at 19. Then the Huskies finished the half like they started with a 7-0 burst.
Scio, with strong free throw shooting on a night full of fouls, came back hard in the third quarter and reversed the margin in their favor outscoring the Huskies 21-7. The Loggers continued to use offensive rebounds to finish out the game strong.
The four Husky freshmen scored 26 of Sweet Home’s 47 points, including Annie Whitfield’s game high 11 points. Jenny Hamn once again led the Huskies in rebounds and chipped in 9 points.
Scio shot 26-44 from the free throw line while the Huskies were 15 for 30.
Sweet Home: Whitfield 11, Hamn 9, Niemi 8, Rubidoux 6, Riggs 5, Makin 4, Cuilla 2, Yost 2, Cole, Davis, Justham
Scio: DeVore 24, Guest 18, Duclos 7, Guenther 4, Stover 4, Pearson 2, Bishop 2
Stayton 49, Sweet Home 14
The Huskies had no answer for Eagle post player Molly Vreeken, who scored 15 of Stayton’s first 17 points. After Kishya Davis tied up the score at 2 for the Huskies, Vreeken went on a terror, making numerous soft jumpers in the low key.
After leading 30-4 at halftime with a stifling defense that produced numerous Husky turnovers, second-ranked Stayton went primarily to their second unit. The Eagles especially did well from the free throw line, shooting 67 percent compared to Sweet Home’s 36 percent.
Sweet Home: Hamn 5, Whitfield 3, Davis 2, Riggs 2, Rubidoux 2, Trewin 1, Niemi, Cole, Yost, Cuilla, Justham, Makin
Stayton: Vreeken 19, Garrison 8, Pelayo 6, Atkins 6, Johnson 6, Bowers 4
Junction City 39, Sweet Home 25
Sweet Home had trouble keeping J-C off the offensive glass which allowed the Tigers to jump to a 12-2 first quarter lead.
The Tigers maintained that edge throughout the half and then extended it in the third quarter to 30-15.
The Huskies never got closer than 9 points, achieving that in the third period, but then allowed J-C to finish on an 8-2 run.
The Huskies finally got their offense going in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Tigers 10-9 in the final period. Annie Whitfield scored all of her game-high eight points starting at the very end of the third period and then adding six in the fourth quarter.
Sweet Home: Whitfield 8, Niemi 6, Cole 4, Hamn 3, Cuilla 2, Justham 2, Davis, Yost, Makin, Riggs