Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Hailey boys, girls post first basketball wins

Boys handle Buhl 55-34, girls outlast Pokey


By JEFF CORDES
Express Staff Writer

Wood River junior guard Jordan Doan puts up a shot during last Wednesday’s Pocatello home game. Doan has scored 34 points in the last three games. Photo by David N. Seelig

Thumped in their first three games, Wood River High School boys' basketball players came off the bus Saturday determined to start fast and finish well in their non-conference road game against Buhl.

It was a successful mission.

Wood River, playing aggressively from the get-go, built a 14-5 lead and led by 15 points at half. With two players scoring in double figures and very nearly five, the Wolverines posted their first win of the 2008-09 season by a 55-34 score.

Senior wing Bryan Tidwell tallied a varsity career high of 14 points and junior guard Jordan Doan (8.5 ppg) added 12. Seniors Greg Wakefield (9 points) and Michale Brunker (8) chipped in with key points. So did juniors Keven Abbott (9 points) and Juan Martinez (3).

Wood River (18-for-27) shot 67% from the free throw line where the Hailey boys out-pointed winless Buhl (0-3) by an 18-11 count. It added up to an outcome that was a big reversal from losses of 34, 15 and 27 points to start the season.

Third-year head coach John Radford said, "After the Pocatello loss (58-31 at home Wednesday) we regrouped, set out some short-term goals and refocused the kids and the coaching staff. I thought the kids did a great job after the tough loss Wednesday.

"At Buhl we were much more active with good, hard man-to-man and we played better overall defense. We were better on transition defensively, and our defense came up with some transition baskets. On the offensive end we were definitely more patient. We made a big jump in the understanding of shot selection.

"The 21-point victory said a lot about our kids."

For one thing, it snapped a nine-game Wolverine losing streak dating back to last season and continued a pattern of road success for coach Radford (16-32 overall, 8-19 road). It's always tough to win at Buhl but Radford's teams have done it two of the past three years.

Wood River (1-3, 0-0 league) hosted the Kimberly Bulldogs (1-2) Tuesday—Kimberly coming off its first win of the season 52-45 over previously unbeaten Declo (3-1) on the 'Dogs floor last Wednesday.

"Kimberly is a team that likes to knock the ball inside," said Radford.

The Wolverines embark upon their Great Basin Conference West schedule Friday, Dec. 19 against the Minico Spartans (3-2, 0-0) at Rupert. Minico enjoyed an impressive 54-51 win at 5A Idaho Falls Saturday, and also beat Preston 51-45 this season.

"Minico is big this year. We'll see where we are with these two games," said Radford. "Hopefully the progress we've made will be another step to paying off in January and February when we'd like to be playing our best basketball of the season."

Burley (3-4) and Jerome (6-0) don't open their Great Basin West schedules until January. Jerome swept a home weekend twinbill against Middleton 71-59 and Emmett 74-45 this past weekend.

Fast finish lifts Hailey girls to first win

High school students know a lot, but they don't know everything. That's where teachers, coaches and parents come in mighty handy in tough spots.

Take, for instance, the Wood River High School girls' varsity basketball team led by Mendy Benson, who has 10 years of coaching experience and was the captain of the University of Oregon women's basketball team in her playing career.

Benson has seen and recognized a few situations during her many years on the court.

But, back on Dec. 6 in a tightly-contested Wolverine game at Buhl, the Hailey girls were seemingly headed for their first win. Then they squandered a lead and lost a winnable game 37-33 in overtime.

"Against Buhl we had a game when the girls felt they knew more than I did. In overtime I told them to do one thing and they did exactly the opposite," said Benson. "I let them know about it afterward. I told them it works better if they do things like I've suggested."

Wood River had an opportunity to redeem itself Saturday against the Pocatello Indians in a matinee at the high school gym in Hailey. It was a nip-and-tuck contest between two teams with a combined 1-16 record.

Rebounding better than they'd done all game, Wood River went on a 6-0 run to start the fourth and stretched its 23-21 lead to 29-21 with four minutes left. It seemed in the bag. Then the home team started making turnovers, six of its 17 for the game coming in the fourth period. And Pocatello clawed back to a 29-26 deficit.

Benson called time out and patiently explained to the girls what Pocatello was doing on defense and how to attack it. She reiterated how she wanted the girls to play on defense. Wood River players listened in rapt attention. The starters ran out to their positions, eager to put their lessons into real time.

"Now, let's get a stop!" said Benson with a commanding presence from the sideline. Pocatello, momentum on its side, brought the ball up and seemed poised to narrow its deficit even further.

It didn't happen. Wood River's intense zone defense forced a hasty shot by Pocatello's top scorer Brenna Brigham (13 points, 9 rebounds). It went off the mark.

Monica Garceau pulled down a huge rebound, then Grace Lagodich (9 points, 5 rebounds) canned an 18-footer on a pass from Sam Engel. On the other end, a Lagodich rebound set the Hailey attack in motion—and Kaitana Martinez made a pass low to Garceau for two more points and a more comfortable 33-26 WRHS lead.

Wood River (1-8) held on to win 36-26, snapping a two-season, 16-game losing skid. Pocatello (1-8) had won its first game 39-33 over Minico at Rupert Thursday, but settled for another loss Saturday.

"It feels great to get that first win," said Benson. "The girls did a great job of executing our game plan. Zone defense isn't my philosophy, but it's what we needed to do to win. In the second half we did the best job all season of talking on defense and boxing out #14 (Brigham)."

Rebounding was vital.

Wood River (a 41-25 rebounding edge for the game) out-boarded Pocatello 19-6 in the fourth quarter alone led by Garceau (4 points, 6 boards), Cheyenne Swanson (2 points, 6 rebounds), Taylor Hayes (2 points, 5 boards) and Sam Engel (6 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists).

Benson said, "We had two goals for the game in terms of turnovers and rebounds, and we're finding that when we meet those goals, we are successful. Our goal in turnovers was 19, and we had 17. Sam (Engel) was huge on the boards and Monica did a decent job."

The motor of Wood River's engine is freshman Martinez (9 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, 5 assists). She guns up Wood River's transition game and is relentless on defense. Only recently Benson has assigned her the point guard duties as well.

"At first I didn't want KT to be point guard—I thought she was a #2 (shooting) guard. But I realized that she's OUR point guard. She's the best we have, and we do better with the ball in her hands," said Benson.

Benson added, "KT is such a competitive player and so eager to learn. She has the most intense desire to be the best of any player I've had in my 10 years of coaching. Like today, after our first win, she came to me in the locker room and asked, 'What can I do to get better?' Not many do that.

"The nice thing about our team is KT's teammates are selfless and do a great job of complementing what she does."

Guard Alex Lindbloom (4 points) chipped in to the attack as Benson used eight players effectively and won by 10 points despite being outscored by the Indians 13-3 at the charity line.

Benson's team traveled to Filer (3-2) Tuesday—the Wildcats coming off a 65-50 home loss to Kimberly Thursday. Filer won 48-36 in Hailey Nov. 20. "I think we can compete with Filer. Our next challenge is to put together two good games in a row," Benson said.

Wood River plays at Gooding (3-5) Thursday, Dec. 18—the Senators a 34-31 home winner over Shoshone Saturday.




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