| - video by Jim P. |
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Lady Squires Varsity good in 3 of 4 quarters at Marcus Whitman |
PORT ORCHARD, Wash. – The Mountain View (MV) Girls Varsity basketball team played well Tuesday (Feb. 13) at Marcus Whitman Middle School. They led 7-to-5 at the end of the 1st quarter, outscored the Trailblazers 13-to-12 in the 3rd quarter, and stayed right with Marcus Whitman (11-to-14) in the 4th quarter. But, it was the 2nd quarter that derailed the Lady Squires hopes of a road win.
When the MV Girls Varsity team boarded the bus to return home it was with heavy hearts, having lost 45-to-32.
Myracle Jackmon’s lone free throw, midway thru the 2nd period, turned out to be Mountain View’s only point of the quarter. While the Lady Trailblazers added 14 points to their total to lead 19-to-8 at halftime.
Man-on-man full-court pressure was the tactic Marcus Whitman used to shut-down the Lady Squires and ring-up the 14-point advantage in the quarter.
Full-court defense is not the Mountain View girls haven’t seen before five games into the ten-game season. A full-court press Is almost standard practice in middle school girls basketball. What the Lady Squires hadn’t faced was man-on-man full-court pressure. Typically, teams employ some type of full-court zone defense.
The Lady Squires had a difficult time inbounding the basketball. Then quickly found themselves pinned against the sideline, with nowhere to go, when a second Trailblazer defender rotated over to help trap the ballhandler.
All fourteen of Marcus Whitman’s 2nd quarter points came off Mountain View turnovers.
Notable Mountain View highlights were point guard Brooklyn Irvine’s team-high 12 points, on 7-of-10 free throw shooting, and 4 assists. Forward Madison Gardiner’s 9 points and 13 rebounds. Sister Makayla Gardiner’s 12 rebounds and 4 steals. As well as, Umauni Lea’e’s 10 rebounds, 8 offensive, in only 10 minutes of play, and Trinity Malaga’s 6 steals.
Thursday (Feb. 15) the Lady Squires will be on the road again, this time to take on the Klahowya Eagles. Varsity tipoff, at Klahowya Secondary School in Silverdale, Wash., is schedule for 3:30 p.m. The JV game will get underway around 5:00 p.m.
