Ken Roberts
For The New Era
Freshman Annie Whitfield sank a lay-in with two seconds on the clock to cap a fourth-quarter Sweet Home surge to give the Husky girls their first basketball victory of the year, 41-39 over East Linn Christian Academy on Tuesday, Dec. 23.
The victory was the Huskies’ first of the season and the first since last February.
After three games were canceled due to inclement weather, the Huskies added the East Linn game to their schedule. Playing without Rylee Cole, their starting point guard, the rest of the Sweet Home squad combined to eke out the win, despite missing five days and having only one day of practice.
“I couldn’t be prouder of their effort,” said coach John Barnes. “Everybody contributed.”
Nine Huskies put points on the board, led by Jenny Hamn, who had eight points and seven rebounds.
Sweet Home started out strong, leading by four after the first quarter. After Hamn hit the first basket of the second quarter, the Eagles shut down the Huskies for most of the period, going on a 10-0 run. Emili Riggs and Devyn Makin, who had four steals in the game, scored late buckets to even the score at 20-all at the end of the half.
East Linn continued to control the game in the third quarter, leading by as many as eight points before Makin finished the period with a three-point shot to pull the Huskies within five, 33-28.
Then came the fourth quarter. Megan Rubidoux scored the Huskies’ first five points.
While Sweet Home kept the Eagles in check, baskets by Cortnee Cuilla and Paige Niemi kept Sweet Home’s momentum moving forward. Hamn’s basket with 1:13 left to go tied the score at 39.
In the next minute, East Linn missed a free throw and had three turnovers, twice on outstanding defensive plays by Rubidoux and Whitfield. But the Huskies had similar problems, producing three turnovers of their own and twice having an inbounds pass deflected. Finally, finishing the game with four freshmen on the floor, the Huskies found Whitfield alone for the winning shot.
“I had goose bumps when I looked up at the clock and realized we had won the game,” said Whitfield, who replaced Cole as the starting point guard. “We worked together as a team and are starting to get more confidence.”
For the first time this year, the Huskies outrebounded an opponent. Whitfield led with nine boards, followed by Hamn’s seven, five for Niemi and four for Cuilla.
“They’re excited,” said Barnes of his team. “Maybe it’s because we got the monkey off our back.”
After the winter break, the Huskies take on Estacada, to whom they lost 32-21 earlier, but this time they get the young, tall Rangers on their home court Jan. 3 before starting the league season at Central on Friday, Jan. 6.
Scoring Summary
Sweet Home 14 6 8 13 – 41
East Linn 10 10 13 6 – 39
Sweet Home: Hamn 8, Rubidoux 7, Niemi 6, Cuilla 5, Makin 5, Whitfield 4, Riggs 3, Yost 2, Davis 1
East Linn: Warren 13, Bates 11, Whitehead 10, Garber 3, Shull 2