The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
League record stands at 4-1
The Crested Butte Lady Titans bounced back from a brutal loss to the notoriously tough Sierra Grande Lady Panthers Thursday night to post back-to-back wins, improving their league record to 4-1. The Sierra Grande Lady Panthers are about as intense a team as the Lady Titans will face in a season. From the opening tip-off to the final horn and from one end of the court to the other, the Lady Panthers push the limits of their opponent.
While the Lady Titans had a significant size advantage, from point guard to post, Sierra Grande’s pressure defense and speed brought Crested Butte down to their level.
Sierra Grande pressured the Lady Titans into numerous turnovers in the first quarter of the game, and had it not been for Crested Butte’s own hustle on defense the game could have fallen apart early in the contest.
The work of junior Shannon Holleran on offense helped carry the Titans through their confusion in the first quarter. Battling down low, Holleran put up four of the Lady Titans’ seven first-quarter points to hold the Lady Panthers’ lead to two.
Sierra Grande opened the second quarter with two quick baskets, but Crested Butte responded by slowing the game down amidst the Lady Panthers pressure and working the ball down to the post.
Holleran and sophomore Sydney Jernigan crashed the offensive boards to score baskets inside and hit a couple of crucial free throws to keep the Lady Panthers in check.
Sierra Grande closed the half with their three-point lead still intact, but Holleran and Jernigan went to work in the opening minutes of the third quarter to give the Lady Titans their first lead of the game.
The two teams continued pressing each other for steals and baskets in the third quarter until a burst by Sierra Grande built a six-point lead.
Jernigan drove baseline for two more to pull the Lady Titans to within four points heading into the fourth quarter.
The Lady Titans’ press forced a couple more turnovers and put the Lady Panthers on the line, forcing them to earn the win. The Lady Panthers missed consecutive free throws, offering Crested Butte a chance to come back, but untimely turnovers doused the Lady Titans’ chances and Sierra Grande closed with a three-point play to seal the 41-35 Sierra Grande win.
Holleran led the team with 17 points and Jernigan added 13 to combine for 30 of the Lady Titans’ 35 points.
“I thought we beat ourselves,” says coach MaryMike Haley. “But it helped us figure out who we are as a team. For them to persevere under the pressure, I was pretty psyched.”
Crested Butte opened their next game against Primero determined to take control from the opening tip-off. A full court press paired with a patient offense led the Lady Titans to a 15-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Lady Titans’ pressure held Primero scoreless until three minutes into the second quarter and Holleran continued her rage against their opponent, scoring the Lady Titans’ final eight points of the first half, as Crested Butte carried a comfortable 25-6 lead into halftime.
“I just explained the full court press to them in the locker room,” says Haley.
The game slowed down considerably in the third quarter but the Lady Titans finished strong, as Ashley Reimer and junior Karleigh Dean combined for a couple of baskets and Holleran closed the game, scoring eight more points for the 45-17 Lady Titans win.
“We executed some things pretty well and I think the full court press is looking pretty good,” says Haley.
Crested Butte closed the weekend on the road against Mountain Valley. While the Mountain Valley team was fairly non-existent last year, they came out of nowhere in the first half against the Titans.
“We were a little sluggish getting off the bus,” says Haley. “Mountain Valley was feisty and they came out on us.”
The Lady Titans recovered by the end of the second quarter to take the lead into halftime and their man-to-man defense carried them to the win.
“They got it together,” says Haley.
The Lady Titans will now take a break for the holidays to rest and recuperate and then open the New Year with Center on January 5 before returning home to host Moffat on Friday, January 8.
“It’s a much needed break because I’ve got some injuries,” says Haley. “I’m psyched. I think we’ve got some serious potential and they want it.”
