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Bucks
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St. Paul outscores Columbia Christian 18-8 in the final
quarter to score a 44-34 win |
By B. Scott Anderson, Newberg
Graphic sports editor
E-mail Scott at banderson@eaglenewspapers.com
|
 ST.
PAUL — In what was probably its best defensive game of the year, the No. 6 St. Paul
High School girls basketball team defeated No. 9 Columbia Christian 44-34 Saturday.
“We played four quarters of defense,” said St. Paul coach Mike
Murphy. “Defensively we played very well, but we need to learn to play well
offensively. We played about two quarters well offensively.”
St. Paul (5-2, 1-0) did a great job on all-state guard Kinsey Tucker. They
held her to just eight points, with six of those coming at the free-throw line, as she was
shadowed the entire game by St. Paul senior Megan Wolf.
“(Wolf) boxed her most of the time,” Murphy said of using the
box-and-one defense. “(Jordan Murphy) helped out a little as well and the other kids
applied a lot of pressure on the court.”
St. Paul forced Columbia into 25 turnovers.
The Knights held a slight lead, 8-5 after the first quarter. They were down
12-7 early in the second before going on a 13-0 run, thanks in large part to a 3-pointer
by Wolf and a three-point play by Jordan Murphy, to close the half and take control,
20-12.
“(Wolf) got taken out on a moving screen and the team just seemed to get
energized by that particular play,” Murphy said. “From that point on we went on
the run, got a couple steals and layups. It was a good way to end the half.”
For all the good done during that span, it was undone about as fast in the
third quarter. Columbia made a run and eventually tied the game at 26-26 entering the
final period.
“We just became impatient in the third quarter,” Murphy said.
“We were taking shots after one or two passes and that’s not our strength. Way
too many quick shots.”
In the fourth period, however, the Bucks settled down and allowed their
offense to run the way it is suppose to run — with four, five or even six passes and
finding the open person, Murphy said.
“We came out in the fourth quarter and were much more patient
offensively,” said Murphy. “We scored like we can when we are patient.”
Early in the fourth, with St. Paul clinging to a 28-27 lead, Wolf hit a
3-pointer to give the Bucks a little breathing room. Then with 4:13 left, St. Paul’s
Jenna Schneider banked in a 3-pointer to give the Bucks a little bit more of a cushion. In
the final three minutes, St. Paul hit 8-of-11 free throws to seal the win.
Murphy said after his team got up by five with three minutes left, he pulled
his team out to force Columbia out of their zone defense and play them straight up.
“The kids did a pretty nice job of taking care of the ball, running the
offense and taking time off the clock,” he said. “When we’re patient, we
can do some nice things.”
St. Paul outscored the Knights 18-8 in that final period. Wolf paced the
Bucks with 13 points, including two 3-pointers. Murphy was next with 12 and Holsberry had
five points and a season-high eight rebounds.
St. Paul 54, Riverdale, 16: St. Paul sprinted out to
an 11-1 first-quarter lead and never looked back in their Casco League opener Friday.
Holsberry led three players in double figures with 17. Murphy scored 14 and Wolf added 10.
The Bucks return to action Dec. 29 at the Mohawk tournament against Butte Falls. |
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From Dec. 24,
2003, Newberg Graphic
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