Titans girls’ basketball takes two of three games last week

“I think we got Saturday right”

By Than Acuff

The Crested Butte Titans girls’ basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak with a big win over the Telluride Miners on Tuesday, February 3. They fell short against Ridgway on Friday but got back on the winning track Saturday with a tight win over the Custer County Bobcats to wrap up the three-game stretch on a high note.

Expectations were high heading into the Telluride game as coach Anna Bressinck felt the match-up provided a great chance for the Titans to get back on the winning track and it was, but not without a fight from the Miners.

Both teams opened with a press bringing some chaos to the court through the first quarter, but Crested Butte thrived in it as Rio Crabtree scored six points and Molly Miller scored off a steal from Lola Wright for an 8-4 lead. Summer Martin then opened the second quarter with a 14-foot jumper, Ella Davis finished off a great series of passes to drain a short jumper and Miller got loose for a layup off a steal by Martin to give the Titans a 14-10 lead at halftime.

“We’ve been known to start slow,” says Bressinck. “We weren’t doing anything wrong, we just weren’t putting our foot on the gas.”

The Titans then went to work in the third quarter mixing a stifling defense with a proficient offense for a 11-4 run. Crabtree opened it with a three-pointer, Davis put up four points and a block and Wright tacked on four more points for the Titans to pull ahead 25-14 by the end of the third quarter.

“I think we settled down and moved the ball around on offense better and things started to happen,” says Bressinck.

When Cecilia Naughton pulled down an offensive rebound and scored and a series of passes set up Davis for a six-foot jump shot the Titans were up 31-18 and went on to close out the 35-20 win. Davis led the Titans with 10 points with Crabtree scoring seven.

Crested Butte then hit the road for two away games starting with the Ridgway Demons on Friday, February 6 looking to notch two more wins and things looked good from the start.

After the two teams traded baskets through the first quarter, the Titans built a slight gap in the second quarter as Wright and Martin each scored, and Miller found room to add six more points for an 18-16 lead at halftime.

“We were executing our halfcourt offense, so we didn’t have any major adjustments,” says Bressinck. “I just told them, we won the first two quarters, let’s win another.”

Once again Crabtree opened the quarter with a basket, and free throws from Miller and Davis helped maintain a four-point lead for the Titans. But the Demons found their shot to respond with five quick points to go up 24-23 with 50 seconds left in the third quarter.

But, rather than fold, the Titans punched back with a free throw and an offensive rebound and bucket from Miller at the buzzer to put the Titans back on top 26-24. The downside was Crested Butte was flirting with foul trouble but that didn’t hold them back and when team hustle set up Miller for a layup, Crested Butte was out front 30-25.

The Titans then lost two starters to fouling out as the fourth quarter continued and the Demons turned up the heat with a full court press. In addition, with their top scorer tied up by the Titans, other Demons found a way to score.

“We let our defense slip and gave up too many lay ups,” says Bressinck.

Crested Butte hung on as long as they could and when Hadley Blaisdell sliced through for a layup after a steal, the game was tied 34-34. Unfortunately, the constant Demon pressure eventually led to some Titan miscues and Ridgway ended up scoring the last three points for a 37-34 win. Miller scored 15 points for the Titans with Davis adding in eight.

“The way that last minute of the game went was on me,” says Bressinck. “I don’t think I had them properly prepared for that final minute. I was happy with most of that game, but I want that last minute back.”

Bressinck and the Titans got their redemption the following day against Custer County. This time Crested Butte came out on the front foot to build a 14-5 lead by halftime with everyone on point.

“We came out firing,” says Bressinck.

Custer County battled back to cut Crested Butte’s lead down to four by the end of the third quarter but a block and steal by Miller set up Wright for a breakaway and she laid it in, got fouled and sank the free throw for a massive three-point play.

The Bobcats continued to fight back pulling to within one point midway through the fourth quarter but composure on offense was the name of the game for the Titans. Their diligence opened up a lane for Miller to score, and they remained patient eating up minutes by working the ball around every trip up the court and clamping down on defense.

“We settled down on defense in that fourth quarter,” says Bressinck.

Custer County eventually scored to pull back within one, but Crabtree hit one of two free throws down the stretch and the Titans defense did their job to pressure Custer County’s last second shot to emerge with a 24-22 win. Miller led the team with 16 points and Crabtree scored six, four of the most important points coming in the fourth quarter.

“I think we got Saturday right,” says Bressinck. “We managed the last minute-and-a-half well. They listened and they executed. We needed that win bad.”

The Titans finish the season out with four games at home including hosting Lake County on Thursday, February 12 at 5:30 p.m.

“They’re rowdy, fast and they bring chaos,” says Bressinck. “We’re going to have to stay calm despite their chaos. It’s a ‘between the ears’ kind of game.”