Lady Outlaws earn fifth straight win

Katie Hughes scored 22 points to lead the Lady Outlaws to a 49-31 victory over the North Marion Huskies in their league opener on Tuesday, January 17.

Hughes got Sisters off to a quick start when she scored the first of her five three-point shots for the night just 10 seconds into the game. A quick lay-up from Jenny Boswell gave the Outlaws a 5-0 lead. By the end of the first quarter Sisters held a 17-6 advantage over the Lady Huskies.

The Outlaws continued to attack the basket and in the final minute and a half of the second quarter had a seven-point run. Hughes buried a three and then stole the ball on North Marion’s inbounds pass and made the lay-up for two. Jennifer Friend stole the ball in the back court and made her jump shot from the free throw line. Sisters entered the half with a 17-point lead at 38-21.

Sisters outscored the Lady Huskies 11-9 in the second half. Neither Sisters nor North Marion scored in the fourth quarter until there were just one and a half minutes remaining in the period. Sisters won with a final score of 49-31.

Coach Bill Blevins said, “In the second half we made a conscious effort to slow the game down. We had a 17-point lead heading into the third quarter and they (NM) were sitting in the zone. I figured the only way they (NM) could make a comeback was if we rushed shots. The girls did exactly what I asked them to do.”

Blevins added, “I called a time out early in the fourth quarter and we talked about protecting our lead and taking care of the ball. There was no reason to shoot. I told them the game is in effect over if we just take care of the ball. I’d venture to say we had possession of the ball seven of the eight minutes in the final quarter.”

Sisters shot 62 percent from the free throw line and 38 percent from the field.

Hughes scored 19 of her 22 points in the first half and had a team high nine steals. Boswell contributed 11 points and seven rebounds. Cindy Harp added six points.

Sisters won again three days later at home against Molalla with a final score of 55-43. Jenny Boswell scored 11 of her 27 career high points in the fourth quarter to lead the Lady Outlaws to victory.

The Outlaws trailed Molalla 15-8 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second period Cammy Jacobson hit her head and was taken via AirLife to Bend for a CAT scan.

Coach Bill Blevins told The Nugget the life flight was for precautionary reasons and that Jacobson is fine.

At the half Molalla held a 27-20 lead over Sisters.

“We shot very poorly the first half,” said Blevins, “in the lower 20 percent and we were physically manhandled.”

Molalla’s Ashley Cunningham (6'3') blocked eight of Sisters’ shots in the first half alone.

Sisters played with much more intensity in the second half. According to Blevins it took the Lady Outlaws a while to get used to playing such a physical game.

Boswell exploded offensively in the fourth quarter.

“We put the ball in her hands and she went hard to the basket,” said Blevins. “She got Cunningham to foul for the fifth time which was key because it opened up the middle for us.”

Sisters forged ahead of the Lady Indians with 4:00 left in the game and then spread the court and let Boswell create opportunities on her own. The Lady Outlaws won with a final score of 55-43.

Boswell led the team with 27 points and Katie Hughes scored 11. Both Cindy Harp and Elyss Clasen added four points each.

“We’re playing pretty decent basketball,” said Blevins, “but not for four quarters. We need to play a little more consistent through the entire game if we want to compete for the title.”