Girls basketball snaps losing streak

The Lady Outlaws snapped a four-game losing streak with a 39-30 victory over the Redmond Panthers on Friday, January 9. Three days earlier, Sisters lost 48-34 to North Marion.

Sisters was able to get good looks at the basket and set the pace of the game against Redmond. In the first quarter, the Outlaws got the ball inside to Cierra Mann, who was able to score three easy baseline buckets. On the flip-side, Sisters made three mistakes which allowed Dannis, Redmond's inside player, to score three easy baskets, and keep the Panthers at a slight advantage at the close of the period with of score of 11-8.

In the second quarter, Cassandra Arruda hit two buckets from behind the arc, which opened up the inside for Dallas Knoop and Olivia Stewart to get easy baskets. Sisters held the Panthers to just four points in the quarter, both put-back shots from Dannis. At the half, the Outlaws held an 18-15 lead.

"We were confident and playing strong," said Coach Julianne Horner. "I believe the girls never questioned this was going to be their game."

Mann and Stewart started the third with easy buckets and pushed Sisters to a seven-point advantage. The Outlaws had a hard time containing Dannis, who answered with a put-back and two free-throws.

Boston Moore made a wide open three-point shot to start the final quarter, and on Sisters' next possession, followed with a difficult two-point shot in the paint. With a solid lead, the Outlaws were able to be patient on offense and wait for Redmond to foul.

"I was happy with how the girls were patient and poised in the fourth quarter," said Horner. "We were able to wait for easy open shots and played good defense to only allow Redmond six points."

Moore and Mann both had tremendous performances and recorded double-doubles in the contest. Boston scored 14 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, and Cierra posted 10 points and pulled down 13 boards. Arruda tallied six points and Knoop added five.

Dannis was a force for Redmond, and scored 22 of the Panther's 30 points.

Earlier in the week, the Lady Outlaws suffered their fourth consecutive setback in a 48-34 loss to North Marion.

Sisters did a good job the first four minutes of the first period, and held the Lady Huskies to very few shots. On the flip side, the Outlaws' attempts just would not fall through the hoop. Midway through the quarter, the Huskies turned up the heat and scored 12 points to jump ahead 16-5 to close out the quarter.

The Outlaws worked hard in the second to get shots inside but could not get those second-shot attempts. The Huskies got those good looks and shots and had an even better advantage (29-12) as they headed into the half.

Sisters got a bit more physical in the third, but North Marion's Reutov hit two threes, even with the Outlaw defender playing her toe-to-toe. The Outlaws couldn't recover from their first-half deficit and the Huskies went on to record the win.

Cierra Mann put up nine points for the Outlaws and Ashley Smith tallied eight. Hailey Hudson recorded seven points and Olivia Stewart added five.

Horner said, "We knew this game would be physical and that we would need to hold them to one contested shot and then rebound. We were unable to do that in the first half and the score showed it. I was happy with how we were more aggressive in the second half. We got better and got the ball down low. We just need to be able to do that sooner as we go into league."

The Lady Outlaws will kick off league play at Cottage Grove on Friday, January 16.