Outlaws fall to top-ranked Harrisburg

The Outlaws fell 25-35 to the Harrisburg Eagles at home on Saturday, January 20, in a low-scoring, low-tempo contest.

Harrisburg is the top team in the Mountain Valley Conference.

Sisters couldn’t find any rhythm against the tough Eagles’ defense at the start of the contest and quickly fell behind 1-8. They rallied and finished the quarter on a 6-3 run to cut the Eagle lead to four with a score of 7-11 at the close of the period. Garrett Sager scored four points on two short shots under the basket and Brody Fischer scored on a reverse layup.

Oliver Bernhardt scored two minutes into the second period on a pass from Kale Gardner right at the basket. After a transition layup from Landon Scott, Bernhardt hit a three-pointer on a pass from Sager and cut the Eagle’s lead to three. Harrisburg scored three to close out the quarter and led by six, 14-20, at the half.

Scott scored the first five points of the third for the Outlaws on a transition layup, and a long ball from behind the arc to make it a 19-24 game. Gardner scored Sister’s final four points in the quarter, and at the close of the third the Eagles held onto their five-point lead, 23-28.

Sisters dug in and tried to keep the momentum going in the final quarter, but just couldn’t find the bottom of the net. Fischer hit a free-throw-line jumper for the Outlaws’ only points in the period. Harrisburg tacked on seven additional points and recorded the win.

Scott finished the night with eight points, Bernhardt scored five, and Gardner, Sager, and Fischer added four points each. Bernhardt recorded four rebounds and Scott, Dean, and Silva had three rebounds each.

Coach Chad Rush said, “After an almost two-week absence from game play because of weather, it was great to get back in our uniforms and play someone else besides ourselves. The rust and lack of rhythm made it tough on the offensive end tonight.

“I am proud of the team for their defensive effort,” added Rush. “Holding a team to 35 points is a recipe for success that in many games will see us on the winning side of the scoreboard. I am proud that the team came out and executed our game plan on the defensive end and showed a determination to follow through on that.”

The Outlaws were to play on the road at Siuslaw on Monday, January 22, in a game that was rescheduled due to inclement weather. They will play at Pleasant Hill on Thursday, January 25, and will wrap up their week with a home game against La Pine on Saturday.