Outlaws boys basketball squad splits games on the road

The Outlaws made the trek south to Klamath Falls to take on the Mazama Vikings and the Klamath Union (KU) Pelicans in non-league match-ups on Friday and Saturday, December 13 and 14. They defeated the Vikings 72-50 on Friday and then fell 72-64 the following day to KU.

In the first quarter against the Vikings on Friday, the score stayed fairly even. Neither team led by more than three points, and the lead changed six times throughout the period. Kale Gardner got the Outlaws on the scoreboard first when he scored on a driving lay-up just 20 seconds into the contest. Landen Scott and Kieren Labhart each hit a triple and at the close of the first quarter the Outlaws held a 21-18 lead.

Mazama held the Outlaws scoreless for the first two-and-a-half minutes of the second period. Sisters finally scored when Labhart took a pass from Scott and hit his second three-pointer of the night, which gave the Outlaws back the lead at 24-22. Scott and Labhart scored eight and seven points respectively — all of Sisters’ second quarter points. At the half Sisters was on top 36-29.

The Outlaws increased their lead at the start of the third. Twenty seconds in, Gardner hit Labhart under the basket for a contested layup. Mazama hit a three-pointer on their next possession to make it 38-32, but that was as close as they would get the remainder of the game. Oliver Bernhardt scored five consecutive points to take the Outlaws to a 43-32 advantage. Sisters’ defense held the Vikings to nine points in the quarter using a combination of their pressure man-to-man defense and their aggressive 2-3 zone defense. That stellar defense helped increase the Outlaws’ lead to 17 at the close of the third.

Just 20 seconds into the final period, Gardner drove to the basket and found Garrett Sager for a wide-open layup. Bernhardt connected on another long ball and a cutting lay-up, and led the team with five points in the quarter. Sisters closed out the contest with a 22-point victory.

Scott finished with 25 points, seven rebounds, and four steals, Labhart had 16 points and five rebounds, and Bernhardt tallied 15 points. Gardner added six points, eight assists, and five rebounds. Bodie Schar and Sager pitched in with four points each.

Coach Chad Rush said, “I felt this was a great team win for the Outlaws. After making the slow trip down to Klamath Falls, we were able to come out aggressively and set the tone early. The Vikings shot the ball well to start the game, but we were able to stay with our game plan and we eventually outlasted them, forcing them into continued contested jump shots, which they eventually started missing.

“It was good to be able to see us be able to switch defenses tonight and have success, something we have not been able to do so far this season,” added Rush. “I believe that will only help us as the season continues.”

A day later the Outlaws lost by eight in a hard-fought battle against KU.

Sisters missed several open lay-ups at the start of the first quarter, while the Pelicans connected on a couple of three-pointers to jump to an early lead. The Outlaws were able to settle in behind scores from Gardner, and took a five-point lead at the close of the first period.

Midway through the second period the Outlaws were up by nine, but the Pelicans went on an 11-0 run to take the lead. With just seconds left on the clock, Gardner found himself at the free-throw line with the Outlaws down by two. He made the first and missed the second attempt. The ball bounced around in the paint, and Bernhardt scooped it up and hit a banking jump shot to give the Outlaws a one-point lead at the half.

Rush told The Nugget that the Outlaws committed costly turnovers in the second period, and gave up important possessions which allowed the Pelicans to eventually take the lead and hold onto it for most of the quarter.

In the third, Sisters outscored the Pelicans 17-14 and increased their lead to four as teams headed into the final period. Scott connected on a triple and two lay-ups, and finished the quarter with eight points. Bernhardt also hit a long ball for the Outlaws that stopped a Pelican run.

The Pelicans ramped up the pressure in the final period and the Outlaws weren’t able to respond. Sisters did have a chance late in the quarter, when they were down by six and called a timeout. The Outlaws forced a turnover and converted the lay-up to cut the lead to four.

However, that would be as close as the Outlaws would get. The Pelicans hit their free-throws down the stretch, and grabbed offensive rebounds on the ones they missed. 

Sisters committed 10 costly turnovers in the final quarter, gave up five offensive boards, and couldn’t execute on offense. As a result, KU outscored them 27-15 and earned the win.

Gardner led the Outlaws with 21 points, Scott scored 13, Labhart had 12, and Bernhardt added seven.

Rush said, “This was a game I was worried about, as it was a quick turnaround on back-to-back games against a very athletic and talented team. This was a game where we were unable to handle the adversity and pressure the Pelicans put on us, and the final result showed that.

“Despite having 24 turnovers in the game and allowing 12 offensive rebounds, we still very much had a chance to win this game,” added Rush. “I am hoping this loss will be something that we will learn from and can build us for the future.”

The Outlaws will host South Umpqua on Thursday, December 19.