The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“Pack the Gym” this Friday
The crazy train ride of the Lady Titans basketball team continued this past weekend. After dropping a big loss to the Sargent Farmers on Friday, January 13, they returned to Mt. Olympus on Saturday to pull off a comeback win over the Cripple Creek Lady Pioneers sparked by the hustle of their bench.
Despite losing 46-23 to the Farmers, coach MaryMike Haley believes it was a winnable game. Haley credits the Sargent team for consistent play and solid shooting but feels the game truly fell apart for the Lady Titans psychologically.
“We just didn’t show up as a team,” says Haley. “We didn’t start playing until the fourth quarter.”
The Lady Titans played tight with the Farmers in the first quarter but when Sargent went on a 13-3 run in the second quarter, the Lady Titans imploded.
Sargent came out of the locker room to outscore Crested Butte 13-2 in the third quarter. Once the game was out of reach, the Lady Titans started playing their game, winning the fourth quarter 14-12.
Sophomore Elisabeth Desmarais led the team with 10 points while junior Maddie Stichter and sophomore Shannon Costello, the team’s leading scorers all season, combined for a mere nine points total.
“When someone goes on a run, we just fall apart,” says Haley. “It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that we ran our offense and started getting the ball into Elisabeth. It was disappointing to say the least.”
Haley saw that same trend starting to happen early in the next game on Saturday against Cripple Creek.
While the Lady Titans settled into their set offense and generated some points, the Lady Pioneers countered with long passes up-court for easy baskets and dominated the boards at both ends of the court.
After a quarter of watching it happen, Haley was forced to bench three of her starters.
“Part of it was foul trouble and part of it was them just being lazy,” says Haley.
Haley left senior Natalie Bowen at the point guard spot to lead the younger players through the second quarter, and the bench responded to Haley’s call.
Cripple Creek pressed to open the second quarter building a seven-point lead midway through the quarter before the Lady Titans put together a counter-attack. As Bowen orchestrated the team up and down the court, the bench players chipped away at the Lady Pioneer lead.
Freshman Mallory Mikeska hit a free throw, sophomore Ali McGuire hit a four-foot jumper, sophomore Madeline Pulley hit one of two free throws, sophomore Monika Olesen scored and battled on defense and sophomore Lindsey Kopf scored off a steal to cut the Cripple Creek lead down to three points by halftime.
“Those younger girls stepped up,” says Haley. “Every single one of them on the floor scored. That, in turn, fired up the starters on the bench.”
Stichter opened it up penetrating for a quick bucket, Cripple Creek responded but Bowen and sophomore Suzanna Dumas combined for eight points and Costello drained a three-pointer to put the Lady Titans back on top 39-34 going into the fourth quarter.
Cripple Creek scratched its way back into the lead with five minutes left before Stichter and Costello combined for a series of steals and lay ups. Dumas added in four more points down the stretch, Costello hit another three-pointer and the Lady Titans closed out the 58-49 win.
Costello led the team with 20 points and 20 steals, Dumas scored 12, Stichter 10 points and Bowen scored five.
“Natalie was the star,” says Haley. “She led the team all four quarters and they came together as a team in the second half.”
The Lady Titans will have their hands full on Friday, January 20 when they host defending 2A state champion Sanford.
“We’ve got to put together a week of focus and mental toughness,” says Haley. “I believe we can be competitive with them and hang in there. I think we’re as talented as any team in the league.”
Friday is also Pack the Gym night and the basketball teams are asking the fans to come out in force. The games start at 3 p.m. with the Lady Titans varsity scheduled to tip off at 6 p.m.
