The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Sisters Lady Outlaws got off to a very slow start in their game against Harrisburg at home on Saturday, January 20, but clawed back in the second half, took the lead in the final quarter, and recorded the 47-44 win.

The first quarter was rough, and the Outlaws definitely looked like a team who hadn’t played a game in almost two weeks (due to weather conditions restricting travel). Sisters only managed to put three points on the scoreboard while Harrisburg executed their dribble hand-off and pick-and-roll offense very effectively and finished the quarter with 12.

Sisters started the second quarter with a free throw from Maggie Lutz, followed by a bucket from Paityn Cotner who scored on a give-and-go. Ila Reid took over the scoring from there and finished with five of the Outlaw’s 11 points in the period. The Eagles were able to put up another 10 points, and at the half the Outlaws trailed 14-22.

The Outlaws buckled down in the third, and with hard work and determination narrowed the gap to just two points, 28-30, at the close of the period. The scoring spree started with a long ball from Jorja Christiansen, followed by Audrey Corcoran, who drove the lane and hit a short shot, was fouled, hit the and-one, and closed the score to 20-22. Remaining scores came from Lutz’s long ball from behind the arc, Cotner’s short shot under the basket, and Corcoran’s points from the charity stripe.

Sisters was fired up as teams entered the final quarter of the contest. Shae Wyland started the period with an offensive board and put-back which tied the game for the first time at 30-30. Lutz hit a three-pointer that gave the Outlaws their first lead of the night at 33-32. The Eagles answered with a three of their own, but Jenna Lake followed with another Outlaw long ball that put the Outlaws back on top 36-35. The Eagles responded with another three, and went up by two with approximately five-and-a-half minutes left on the clock.

Two perfect shots from Christiansen at the free-throw line tied the game 38-38. Sisters got a defensive stop and on the other end Wyland pulled down an offensive rebound, and kicked the ball out to Lake, who hit her second three-pointer of the night.

Wyland blocked the Eagle’s next shot and the Outlaws got the ball back with a three-point lead at 41-38. Unfortunately, the Outlaws lost one of their top players, Ila Reid, due to her fifth foul with four and a half minutes left on the clock.

A nice dish from Wyland to Corcoran a minute later built the Outlaw lead to five. Lake hit a deep long ball, for her third of the night, that pushed the lead to eight with three minutes left to play.

It looked as if the Lady Outlaws would cruise to the win. But Harrisburg wouldn’t quit, and an offensive rebound and foul on a put-back allowed them to cut the Outlaws lead to five. Sisters ran the clock down to 20 seconds and the Eagles were forced to foul. Lutz made one of her two attempts to take the score to 47-41.

The Eagles hit a three-pointer with nine seconds left on the clock to make it a three point game. Tough defense by Lutz on their top outside shooter forced her to throw up an off-balanced air ball and the Outlaws walked off the court with the win.

Lutz led the team with 12 points, and Lake and Corcoran scored nine points each. Reid contributed six, Christianson five, and Cotner pitched in with four.

Lutz and Lake commented on the win.

“We came back strong after halftime, played as a team, got the ball clicking around the perimeter, got shots up, took the lead, and were able to hold them,” Lake said.

Lutz said, “I knew we were capable coming into the second half. Our passes were key to our shots going in. At the end we knew what we had to do and we settled down and made selective shots.”

Coach Paul Patton said, “It was just good to get back to playing basketball games after two postponements and a cancellation due to the snowy and icy weather the last two weeks. Maggie’s (Lutz) overall outstanding play, hitting three pointers, and playing tough defense was a key to us pulling off the win. Jenna (Lake) was cooking from long range and hopefully she can keep that rolling into our upcoming games.”

The Lady Outlaws are currently 3-1 in league. They are in third place behind Pleasant Hill and Creswell, respectively.

Sisters was scheduled to make the long trek to Siuslaw on Monday, January 22, in a game that had been postponed due to the inclement weather conditions. The Outlaws will play at Pleasant Hill on Thursday, January 25, and then host La Pine on Saturday two days later.