Kristen Miniard saved her best for last Tuesday night.
Down by one point to Buhl's girls' basketball team, the Wood River junior sunk a shot with two seconds left in the game to give the Wolverines a dramatic 35-34 win and their second victory of the season.
Never mind that both have victories have come against Buhl, which is winless in 16 games this season.
"It was a huge relief to see it go in," Wood River head coach Brent Carnduff said about Miniard's shot.
"The play broke down but Kris made a nice cut and made the shot."
The Wolverines are now 2-12 overall (1-4 Great Basin West conference), but Carnduff thinks the best is ahead for Wood River, which has six games left in the season, starting with Jerome tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Hailey.
"This is the final push and we're playing well," he said. "The last two games I've been really pleased.
We're moving the ball better—their court awareness is much better."
Wood River sophomore Lauren Morganthaler led the Wolverines in scoring with 12 points, despite fouling out mid-way through the fourth quarter. She was followed by Miniard with 8 points, junior Jordan Scanlon with 6, and senior Jamie Stone with 5.
Abbe Reynolds led the way for the Indians with 12 points.
Carnduff said much of the team's improvement has come with the girls taking advantage of opportunities.
"The last two games, I've really been pleased, they're moving the ball better, and more people are looking for shots," he said. "Our team is getting much better at finding the open player."
Buhl and Wood River were locked at 17-17 at the half and the teams played evenly through the second half.
Buhl held a 25-24 lead at the end of the third quarter but after Morganthaler—who stands at six feet two inches—fouled out, Buhl built a four-point lead with time winding down.
Carnduff said his team got down for a moment, but recovered.
"For that short spurt that Buhl went on, the girls felt like the game was over," Carnduff said. "But the girls re-focused and calmed down. We had to look to other players to step up and score and they were doing that."
Carnduff said the Wolverines forced turnovers, displayed solid ball control and sunk timely shots to stay in the game.
"Hannah Ward made some nice passes, (Stone) was playing very active, but all five girls did a great job of adjusting after Morganthaler fouled out," he said.
The five he's referring to are junior Casey Vegwert, Ward, Stone, Scanlon, and Miniard.
After Jerome, which is 7-6 overall and 3-1 in the Great Basin West conference, Wood River hosts
non-league foe Challis (5-5, 1-2) Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.
"We're playing well, we're anxious to test ourselves and see where we're at," Carnduff said.
The Wolverines lost to Jerome 24-46 in their second game of the season in November. Challis edged Wood River 44-38 in December.
"We didn't play Challis very well," Carnduff said. "We're hoping for some revenge Saturday night."
Wood River sophomore Lauren Morganthaler, who's been a force for the Wolverines this season, in action against Buhl in December. Photo by Willy Cook
