Page 20 SpOT. :1 , "r - December 31, 2008
Huskies down ELCA for first hoops win of season
By Ken Roberts
For The New Era
Freshman Annie Whitfield sank a lay-
in with two seconds on the clock to cap a
fourth-quarter Sweet Home surge to give
the Husl(y girls their first basketball victory
of the year, 41-39 over East Linn Christian
Academy on Tuesday, Dec. 23.
The victory was the Huskies' first of
the season and the first since last February.
After three games were canceled due
to inclement weather, the Huskies added
the East Linn game to their schedule.
Playing without Rylee Cole, their starting
point guard the rest of the Sweet Home
squad combined to eke out the win, despite
missing five days and having only one day
of practice.
"I couldn't be prouder of their effort,"
said coach John Barnes: "Everybody
contributed."
Nine Huskies put points on the board,
led by Jenny Hamn, who had eight points
and seven rebounds.
Sweet Home started out strong, leading
by four after the first quarter. After Hamn
hit the first basket of the second quarter,
the Eagles shut down the Huskies for most
of the period, going on a 10-0 run. Emili
Riggs and Devyn Makin, who had four
steals in the game, scored late buckets to
even the score at 20-all at the end of the
hall
East Linn continued to control the
game in the third quarter, leading by as
many as eight points before Makin finished
the period with a three-point shot to pull
the Huskies within five, 33-28.
Then came the fourth quarter. Megan
Rubidoux scored the Huskies' first five
points.
While Sweet Home kept the Eagles in
check, baskets by Cortnee Cuilla and Paige
Niemi kept Sweet Home's momentum
moving forward. Hamn's basket with 1:13
left to go tied the score at 39.
In the next minute, East Linn missed
a free throw and had three turnovers,
twice on outstanding defensive plays by
Rubidoux and Whitfield. But the Huskies
had similar problems, producing three
turnovers of their own and twice having an
inbounds pass deflected. Finally, finishing
the game with four freshmen on the floor,
the Huskies found Whitfield alone for the
winning shot.
"I had goose bumps when I looked up
at the clock and realized we had won the
game," said Whitfield, who replaced Cole
as the starting point guard. "We worked
together as a team and are starting to get
more confidence."
For the first time this year, the Huskies
outrebounded an opponent. Whitfield led
Photos by Scott Swanson
Jenny Hamn fights through the defense to put up a shot in the Huskies'win over East Linn.
Paige Niemi sends a two-pointer on its way over East Linn's Rebekah Lehman during the
Huskies' win at home Tuesday, Dec. 23.
with nine boards, followed by Hamn's
seven, five for Niemi and four for Cuilla.
"They're excited," said Barnes of
his team. "Maybe it's because we got the
monkey off our back:"
After the winter break, the Huskies
take on Estac'ada, to whom they lost 32-21
earlier, but this time they get the young, tall
Rangers on their home court Jan. 3 before
starting the league season at Central on
Friday, Jan. 6.
J
Scoring Summary
Sweet Home 14 6 8 13 - 41
East Linn 10 10 13 6- 39
Sweet Home: Hamn 8, Rubidoux 7,
Niemi 6, Cuilla 5, Makin 5, Whiffield 4,
Riggs 3, ¥ost 2, Davis 1
East Linn: Warren 13, Bates 11,
Whitehead 10, Gather 3, Shull 2
LO
win/
b
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