Sweet Home’s girls basketball team started this week with its second win of the season over a fellow 4A Division team, Tillamook this time.
The Huskies beat the Cheesemakers 45-27 Monday night at home, in front of an appreciative crowd.
“I did two things I had never done before,” Coach Michelle Knight said afterwards. “I called off our press and I put in the bench.”
Sweet Home went 2-1 last week in the Eagle Booster Club Tournament in Harrisburg, beating 4A Division Siuslaw in the process.
The win over the Cheesmakers put the Huskies at 4-1 for the season, with an early-season ranking of 18th Monday night, as scores were still rolling in.
Sweet Home came out “a little slow, reacting” in the first quarter against Tillamook, which also played a pressing defense that caused some trouble for the hosts. Trailing 6-4 after the first quarter, the Huskies started putting it together in the second period, and freshman Brooke Burke buried a three at the buzzer to give them a 15-12 lead at the half.
That was it for the visitors, as Sweet Home took over, running out to a 31-22 lead at the end of three and finishing off the 45-27 win.
“As long as we play our game, we do a good job,” Knight said.
The Huskies will play Dec. 19=21 at the Regis Tournament, then host LaPine on Dec. 23 at 1 p.m.
During the tournament, Sweet Home will face Regis, Scio and Mohawk.
Harrisburg Tournament
On the strength of fourth-quarter free throws, Toledo edged the Huskies 48-42 Thursday evening at the Eagle Booster Club Invitational held in Harrisburg.
Sweet Home then went on to beat Siuslaw 60-55 and then Samuel Robertson 43-27.
Against Toledo, with kids battling illness, Knight said, the Huskies trailed 11-9 after one quarter.
They edged out Toledo 26-24 at halftime and then tied Toledo 32-32 at the end of the third quarter, creating its winning margin at the charity stripe.
Burke led the Huskies’ scoring with 26 points. Becky Belcher added seven. Kassidy Vandehei scored four, and Adaira Burger and Katie Miller each scored two.
Morgan Hinds led Toledo with 14 points.
Facing Siuslaw, “it was another tight game clear to the end,” Knight said. The Huskies had a 15-14 edge after one quarter and 26-24 at halftime. In the second half, Sweet Home added another 34 points, while Siuslaw scored 31.
The Huskies had some trouble handling the ball, with 25 turnovers, a problem they would clear up the next day; but they played well at the hoop.
“We had four girls score in double digits,” Knight said. “We just played really well. We placed as a team this game. They’re figuring out how to win.”
Natalie Rodgers led Sweet Home scoring with 20 points. She also had eight assists and four three-pointers.
Siuslaw kind of held Burke that game, Knight said, but she still came up with 13 points, with two three-pointers and five assists.
Belcher scored 13 with nine rebounds, and Burger added another 12 with 15 rebounds. Kirsten Watkins scored two, and Vandehei scored one. Hannah Powell had three steals.
For Siuslaw, Mia Collins and Break Blankenship each scored 16 points.
The Huskies finished the tournament against Samuel Robertson. Last year, Sweet Home lost against the same team 40-25.
They started rough, trailing 10-3 by the end of the third quarter, but they bounced back and trailed by just 17-16 at halftime. Taking full control, they led 31-22 after three quarters.
“We switched to zone defense, basically taking away their inside game,” Knight said. “And the girls figured it out.”
They held onto the ball, giving up just 14 turnovers on the game. Their goal was to have less than 20.
“We were tired,” Knight said. “That was the third day in a road. They just decided to win. They decided, we showed up on a Saturday. We might as well win.”
Burke led the Huskies with 19 points and nine rebounds. Burger had 12 points with 16 rebounds. Rodgers scored eight with five assists and four steals. Belcher scored eight, and Powell had four.
Emiko Nagui led Samuel Robertson with 14.
“I just am really proud of the girls,” Knight said. “They work so hard. Their will to win is huge. It’s fun to teach them how to win, to remind them we have the ball, and we have the lead.”
It’s fun to watch their confidence grow, Knight said. “They’re excited to change the history of the sport.”