The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

The girls basketball squad lost both their games this past week; a 50-24 loss at Pleasant Hill (PH) on Tuesday, February 7, and three days later a 61-35 loss at Creswell.

On Tuesday the Outlaws faced the Lady Billies, the No. 1 team in the Mountain Valley Conference, and the No. 1-ranked team in the state, who entered the game with a 19-1 record.

The Outlaws continue to play without Josie Patton and Ellie Mayes, who are still out with a concussion and sprained ankle, respectively.

The Billies got off to a quick start and racked up 17 points in the first period. Many of their points came off of turnovers. Sisters did get a couple of buckets from Haleigh Froehlich, and Delaney McAfee hit a long ball from behind the arc. The Billies didn’t press the Outlaws, but they did a good job of getting in the passing lanes in their zone defense. Pleasant Hill closed out the quarter up by 10.

PH continued to stack up points in the second quarter, while the Outlaws went completely cold, and only mustered a single free throw from Ashlynn Moffat. At the half the Outlaws trailed 8-33.

The Billies’ point guard, Shyanne Finley, is a great player who can drive to the rim and score or easily dump the ball off to the posts who can finish, and she continued to do a great job of that in the second half.

Sisters did do a better job in the second half on defense. In the third quarter the Billies were only able to score 10 points and the Outlaws put up 10. In the final period PH dipped into their reserve players and the Outlaws managed to outscore them 9-7. Sisters was more aggressive on offense and four of those points came from six free-throw attempts. The clocked ticked down and Sisters took the loss.

Moffat played well for the Outlaws, got to the foul line three times, and went 4-6. Froelich led the Outlaws with seven points, and created several steals with her pressure defense. Delaney McAfee (three points) did well on defense and held their point guard, Shyanne Finley, to just six points, compared to 14 in their last match up. Shae (four points) and Sage Wyland gave the Outlaws big minutes on the court without much rest, due to Patton still being unable to play. Jenna Lake also had three points in the contest.

On Friday the Outlaws traveled to Creswell, the No. 2 ranked team in league (9-2 league record and 16-6 overall), and posted another loss.

Sisters did have Patton back on the court, which gave the Outlaws a big defensive boost and a presence in the post on offense. Mayes was also back and able to play after being out several games, but unfortunately the team missed Froehlich who was recovering after having her wisdom teeth pulled.

Creswell started the game with a full-court press, and the Outlaws turned the ball over a few times before they solved how to break it. After a couple of transition buckets by Moffat and Shae Wyland the Lady Bulldogs abandoned their press. Creswell hit a lucky bank shot three pointer at the buzzer to give them a nine point lead (7-16) at the end of the first quarter.

Sisters played the Bulldogs even in the second period, 10-10, with Shae Wyland scoring six of the Outlaws 10 points.

The third quarter proved to be the decisive period. The Bulldogs went on a roll and outscored the Outlaws 4-22. They run a dribble-drive offense that attacks the rim, and the Outlaws fouled. Creswell hit all seven of their free-throw attempts. Sisters did get some good opportunities but just couldn’t get them to drop.

In the final quarter, the Bulldogs held a comfortable lead and put in several of their bench players, and the Outlaws were able to find some success. Lake found her range from outside and hit two long balls and Moffat scored a bucket and got to the free-throw line a couple of times.

Shae Wyland had her best offensive game of the season, and led the Outlaws with 11 points, followed by Lake who put up eight. Moffat scored six points and Patton added four.

The Outlaws were scheduled to wrap up league play on Monday, February 13, at home against La Pine.