The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Home games Thursday and Friday at 5:30 p.m.
By Than Acuff
We will start with the good news.
The Crested Butte Titans girls’ basketball team has shifted some of their focus to offense and it appears to be paying off as they scored more points in their game against the Caprock Academy Eagles than they had in a game so far this season. The bad news, it wasn’t enough to come away with a win as the Titans lost to the Eagles 38-35 on Saturday, January 17.
“It’s no coincidence we scored more points than we had all season,” says coach Anna Bressinck. “The work they’re putting in is showing and I’m very pleased with that.”
Not only that, but the Titans doubled down on their strength as well, defense, as they spent time at workouts last week installing a new press. But the coaching staff wasn’t done yet with their tweaks as they also looked to Summer Martin to start bringing even more pressure and speed to the team on the floor.
“We put her at the top of the press and she played a phenomenal game,” says Bressinck.
And when things got rolling against Caprock, the Titans were looking good and built a 12-8 lead in the first quarter.
“I was thoroughly impressed with how we came out,” says Bressinck. “We were bothering them and creating opportunities and controlling what was happening.”
A late run in the second quarter by the Eagles put them up 20-18 at halftime but the Titans came out of the break back on track. Knocking down baskets they should, grabbing rebounds they could and pressuring the ball like they can, Crested Butte pulled back out in front. If Molly Miller wasn’t scoring, Rio Crabtree, Lola Wright and Cecilia Naughton were. Miller, Wright and Naughton continued to pull down rebounds, and the Titans pressure kept the Eagles off balance as Crested outscored Caprock 10-5 in the third quarter to build a 30-23 lead.
“We were in a really good position,” says Bressinck.
But the work rate and aggressive play eventually gassed the Titans and Caprock started to climb back into the game. The Titans were then dealt one last blow as Miller fouled out with three minutes left in the game and the Eagles managed to edge out the 38-35 win. Miller finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds, Wright scored 10, Naughton dropped in seven points and grabbed seven rebounds and Crabtree finished with six points and eight steals.
“The flaw for us was coaching, we just bonked,” admits Bressinck. “I pushed it a little too far and that’s on me. But the adjustments we made are all right there, it’s happening.”
The Titans now have a big stretch of games with three games in three days, four in five days. But Bressinck believes that the intense work they’ve put in the past two weeks should start to bear fruit in terms of wins.
“If we coach it right and they show up, it’s four games we could win and should win,” says Bressinck. “We’re bubbling under the surface and it’s time to push through. The time for moral victories is over. We all need to take a step up.”
The Titans start the busy week at home as they host Hayden on Thursday, January 22 at 5:30 p.m. They remain at home on Friday to face Center at 5:30 p.m. and then hit the road Saturday to play Trinidad.
