Turnovers cost Outlaws on hardwood

The Outlaws lost 78-49 at Cascade on Tuesday, January 25, and on Friday fell 55-37 at Woodburn.

Tuesday’s game against Cascade was the first road game for the Outlaws after hosting four straight games at home. The Cougars boast a 6-foot-11-inch and a 6-foot-7-inch post in their starting lineup, and the towering duo were a challenge for the Outlaws.

The first quarter was a tough physical battle that saw the Outlaws push the Cougars throughout the period. Sisters went up 10-9 behind five points from Max Palanuk, but Cascade kept scoring and at the close of the quarter held a five-point advantage over the Outlaws.

Cascade took a 24-14 lead in the second quarter before the Outlaws went on an 8-0 run and cut the Cougars’ lead to two points. The scoring surge was led by Palanuk, who had two three-pointers during the run. Sisters gave the Cougars 13 points in the quarter off of turnovers.

In the third, Jessey Murillo had a solid quarter and scored six points at the basket against the Cougars’ big posts.

During the final quarter, the Outlaws took better care of the ball, and only allowed three points off of turnovers. The game was out of reach at this point, but the Outlaws kept battling. The game ended in a 29-point loss.

Palanuk led the Outlaws in scoring with 15 points. Murillo scored 10 points, Jamen Schwartz recorded nine, Adam Maddox-Castle tallied six, Mehkye Froehlich scored five, and Ricky Huffman added four.

“Tonight’s game was another Oregon West Conference matchup against a top-ranked team in the state,” said Coach Chad Rush. “I was proud of the defensive effort we showed defending their big men and competing hard in our half-court defense.

“We need to continue to learn to take care of the basketball and make the most of each possession we get,” added Rush. “The boys continue to work hard in practice on this issue, so I am confident that we will figure it out.”

Sisters wrapped up their first half of league play with a loss against the Bulldogs at Woodburn on Friday.