On Saturday afternoon, Coach Schofield and his 3A-5 Far West League Champion Lady Bruin Basketball team walked onto the hardwood to take on the Yamhill-Carlton Lady Tigers with a chance for the winner to advance to the State Championship Tournament.
In this win/win situation both teams came out to a packed Bruins arena that was loud and proud and if you weren’t there, you missed what small community high school sports is all about. Nerves, energy, expectations, fear, and anxiety all produced and electric atmosphere that was thick with anticipation.
The Lady Bruins saw the Lady Tigers jump out to a quick lead while the Lady Bruins struggled to find the basket. The cold shooting let the Lady Tiger get a 0-7 lead at the midway point of the first period. The Lady Bruins wouldn’t find the bucket until 3:00 minutes left in the first period, but that basket seemed to open the door for their shooters. Power forward Lexi Schofield hit a 3 pointer, Lexee Murray hit from just inside the three-point line and junior guard Sidney Alexander got to the line three times and went 2 for 3 from the line. After giving the Lady Tigers a 6 point head start, the Lady Bruins scratched their wear back and trailed 7-13 at the end of the first period. “I thought the girls showed incredible poise and toughness today. We were able to keep it close during that shaky first quarter which made a world of difference” said Coach Schofield after the game.
Coach Schofield went to the press about midway through the first period and came out in the press in the second. The press disrupted the Lady Tigers, and as we have seen all season long it allows the Lady Bruins to run on their opponent’s mistakes. Sophomore Lexee Murray came out of her shell with 7 points off of 2 baskets and 3 pointer in the second period. Junior guard Avana Pettus went 2 for 2 from the line, Lexi Schofield hit a basket, a free throw and a 3 pointer and sophomore Sierra Fitzhugh hit a timely 3 pointer as the Lady Bruins took control of the floor and the defense held the Lady Tigers to just 7 points.
After changing the tempo and momentum in the first half of play and taking a 25-20 lead into the halftime break, the Lady Bruins wasted no time picking up where they left off. The Lady Bruins spread the ball around, getting six players in the scorebook in the third period. The defense continued to smother the Lady Tigers on defense and again allowed only 9 points in the period. Sierra Fitzhugh went 1of 2 from the line, Lexi Schofield hit a bucket, Mickey Fulton hit a big 3 pointer, and junior Alana Nalls joined the party with 2 points on the inside as well. But the Lady Bruins 3 point sharpshooters Sidney Alexander and Lexee Murray finished the Lady Tigers off in the third with each of them knocking down a 3 pointer each as the Lady Bruins put up 14 points in the period extending their lead to 10 points taking a 39-29 lead into the final period.
In the fourth period, desperation began to seep into the Lady Tigers, as they fouled to slow the Lady Bruins and extend the clock. But the Lady Bruins could see the light at the end of the tunnel and the focus became to not allow the Lady Tigers to cut into their lead and not become frustrated as sloppy desperate play sent the Lady Bruins to the free throw line 10 times. The Lady Bruins press continued to keep the Lady Tigers in check allowing the Lady Tigers just 7 points while scoring 10 points of their own.
After the game, Coach Schofield caught his breath and said “Tempo made a huge difference tonight. I thought our pressure wore them down and kept them from beating up on us in the half court. I thought we got contributions from a lot of different places today. Lexi and Sidney were solid (like usual), and Lexee Murray played really well. It seemed like every time we needed a big play, someone different would step up and deliver for us.”
The Lady Bruins would go on to take the 49-36 win, sending the Lady Bruins into the State Championship tournament starting this Thursday, February 28th against the Burns Hilanders, at 1:30pm at Marshall high school.
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