The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“I think we turned a corner and started to put some pieces in place”
By Than Acuff
The Crested Butte Titans girls’ basketball team got back to business last week and after struggling at home against the Cotopaxi Pirates on Tuesday, December 9, they hit the road for wins against Soroco and Vail Christian on Friday and Saturday, December 12-13.
The game against Cotopaxi was most of what coach Anna Bressinck wanted to see from her team in their second game of the season, at least defensively.
“We came out how I wanted us to,” says Bressinck. “We were just missing easy baskets.”
So much so that while the Titans held the Pirates scoreless through the first quarter, Crested Butte had their own issues at the other end of the court as well and couldn’t score either. Both teams got on the scoreboard to start the second quarter as Cotopaxi hit a three-pointer, but the Titans responded when Cecilia Naughton pulled down an offensive board and scored but the Pirates managed to take a one-point lead into halftime.
“We were still trying to get comfortable with the flow of our offense,” says Bressinck.
The game opened up a bit more in the third quarter as Molly Miller drove the baseline to score, Hadley Blaisdell knocked down a 12-foot jumper and Nora Thomes dropped in a basket, but the Pirates matched the Titans until Miller scored at the buzzer to put the Titans out front heading into the fourth quarter.
While Crested Butte continued to gain confidence on offense with Miller, Lola Wright and Naughton all scoring, they also continued to shoot themselves in the foot with turnovers allowing Cotopaxi to stay in the game.
“We just kept turning the ball over by forcing it into the post,” says Bressinck.
The Pirates top player found room as well in the fourth quarter to rattle off several baskets and while the Titans remained in the mix, the Pirates closed out the 28-25 win with a couple of free throws down the stretch.
“My coaching at the end of the game wasn’t clean,” says Bressinck. “But there were three key things we did as well that if we change one of them, we probably win that game by 10 points.”
The Titans regrouped and came up with a plan for their next game on Friday, December 12 against Soroco in Grand Junction.
“They have one player that they run the whole game through,” says Bressinck. “So we knew if we could hold her in check, we’d be alright.”
Bressinck called on Ella Davis to take that role and she played it perfectly holding Soroco’s top player in check the entire game.
“We gave her the job and she defended like her life depended on it,” says Bressinck.
Unfortunately, the Titans still struggled on offense and fell behind 6-0 early. They eventually found some footing as Miller scored six points in the second quarter, but Soroco still managed to take a one-point lead into halftime, at which point Bressinck called an audible.
“It seemed like we were still struggling to run the offense, so I just told them at halftime that the game was going to come down to who wants it more,” explains Bressinck. “I said, just go out there and play 5v5 and score some buckets.”
The plan appeared to backfire at first as Soroco built a seven-point lead to open the second half, but the Titans clawed back into the game. Wright hit two free throws and then hit Miller with a pass cutting to the basket for another Titan bucket. Wright then opened the fourth quarter scoring the Titans next six points and when Miller scored midway through the fourth quarter, the Titans had their first lead of the game.
Davis continued to frustrate Soroco’s top player and Wright scored one last basket for Crested Butte and the Titans locked down to seal the 22-20 win. Wright led the team with eight points and nine rebounds while Davis held Soroco’s top scorer to six points all game.
“That was a mental toughness game, and they showed it,” says Bressinck.
Then, for the first time this season, the Titans opened the game on the front foot when they faced Vail Christian on Saturday, December 13. The Titans jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first quarter and held onto their lead through the second quarter as Bressinck looked to her bench to get them some minutes and save energy for her starters in case the game got close down the stretch.
The game did get close as Vail Christian pulled within one by halftime but when Bressinck put her starters back on the court to start the third quarter, the Titans started pulling away again thanks in large part to Rio Crabtree.
“She’s our best pure shooter on the team,” says Bressinck.
Crabtree proceeded to score eight points in the third quarter and with Crested Butte’s defense in place, they closed the third quarter with an 8-1 run for a 26-15 lead. Vail Christian tried to climb back into the game but Crested Butte’s patience on offense and diligence on defense allowed them to maintain their lead until the end for the 31-22 win.
“We got that lead and just slowed it down and kept the ball moving to bleed minutes off the clock,” says Bressinck. “I think we turned a corner and started to put some pieces in place over the weekend.”
The Titans have one more game against Ouray before they head into the holiday break and look to keep building on their progress from the weekend.
“We’re getting better moving through our offense, so we’ll just go do our thing,” says Bressinck. “It’s gonna be a tough game but winnable.”
