Girls basketball clips the Falcons in overtime

Rongi Yost, Correspondent | Last updated Jan 29, 2013 12:0pm0

Jerry Baldock count

Outlaws ace scorer Taylor Nieri adds to her total.

The Outlaws beat the Falcons 67-64 in overtime on Friday, January 25, in a game that was a barn-burner from start to finish.

Sisters came out strong and played with heart and determination through the entire contest. The Outlaws pressured Elmira right from the tip-off and forced the Falcons to turn the ball over five times in the first two minutes of play. Sisters was in rhythm and controlled the tempo of the game. At the end of the quarter Sisters was on top 11-9.

Elmira battled back on defense in the second quarter and held Sisters scoreless for the first six minutes. Sisters got it back together and scored seven points in one-and-a-half minutes to keep the score close. The Falcons outscored Sisters 13-7, and at the half Elmira had taken the lead at 22-18.

In the third, Cassidy Edwards and Taylor Nieri each hit a big three-pointer and Edwards shot 3/4 from the free-throw line. At the end of the third quarter Sisters had closed the gap to one point with a score of 34-33 in Elmira's favor.

The score went back and forth between the two teams the entire fourth quarter. With 6.8 seconds left on the clock the Outlaws were down by three. The Outlaws kept their composure, executed the play, and Nieri hit a three-point shot as the buzzer sounded to send the game into overtime.

Sisters pushed the ball hard in OT. The Falcons fouled Nieri and put her on the line nine times. Taylor was able to convert six and also made three buckets from the field. Spear hit a clutch two-point shot as well and went 2/4 from the line. The Outlaws outscored the Falcons 16-13 in overtime to record the win.

"I have never been prouder of a team as I was of these girls for this game," said Coach Julianne Horner. "Their heart, integrity and team work were like no other team I have ever seen. These are amazing young

women!"

Nieri led the Outlaws in scoring with a school-record high 34 points, which included two three-pointers. Taylor was 8/20 from the field and 16/23 from the line. Nieri also tallied seven rebounds, three assists and four steals in the game.

Edwards scored 16 points, pulled down seven boards, and recorded eight steals and three assists. Savannah Spear added 13 points, two steals and two assists.

Three days earlier the Outlaws faced the Cottage Grove (CG) Lions in another tight-to-the-buzzer matchup. Sisters edged the Lions in a final score of 58-52.

Sisters and CG went back and forth, basket for basket in the first quarter. At the close of the period the Lions had pushed ahead to a 17-12 lead.

In the second quarter the Outlaws hit their shots for 23 points and applied good defensive pressure on the Lions.

"I was proud of the team and how hard they worked and focused for the full eight minutes," said Horner.

It was a tough offensive third quarter with both teams only recording eight points each. The final period was intense and it was neck-and-neck to the end. Edwards went a perfect 4/4 from the free-throw line and Nieri went 4/5 and Sisters won the contest by six.

The Outlaws only sent the Lions to the line five times in the final period, and CG was only able to convert on one shot.

CG boasts two very good shooters and just when the Outlaws thought they had the game in hand the Lions would drain a shot from behind the arc. The Lions finished with seven three-point shots in the game.

"It was a great game and I feel very good about how the girls handled the pressure of a close game and their mental toughness throughout the whole game," said Horner.

Edward led the team in scoring with 24 points. Cassidy also pulled down eight rebounds.

Nieri tallied 20 points, had 10 boards and grabbed the ball for five steals. Claire Hensen recorded seven points and nine rebounds, and Jacobie Petterson added five points.

Sisters has a bye on Tuesday, January 29, and on Friday, February 1, they will travel to La Pine.

Eligibility problem hammers Lady Outlaws

A rules violation has done what opponents have had a hard time doing to the Lady Outlaws basketball squad: keep them out of the win column.

Last week's win over Cottage Grove and all of the Outlaws' games prior to that point have been rendered forfeits, due to the Outlaws using an ineligible player, a transfer from Redmond.

Athletic Director Tim Roth said, "The reason she was deemed ineligible was because she had instruction over the summer from a coach who was a Sisters High School coach, which is against the rules, one of over 120 rules the OSSA has. Immediately following the discovery a formal hardship was put before the Sky-Em committee for the player's reinstatement. The athletic directors within the league determined that this player should be eligible from this point forward and the hardship was immediately approved. The forfeiture of prior games in which this athlete performed is currently in the appeal process with OSAA."

Players who receive instruction from a coach for a school they are transferring to are supposed to sit out for a calendar year, under OSAA rules.

Roth stated that the student's transfer had nothing to do with an athletic recruitment.

Roth and girls' basketball Coach Julianne Horner are hopeful that the decision forcing the forfeitures will be reversed. If the decision stands, the Lady Outlaws, who held a 13-3 overall record and a 3-1 record in league, have little hope of making it to the playoffs.

For more information on the situation, contact Athletic Director Tim Roth at 541-549-4045.