Women’s basketball defeats arch rival West, 45-32, prepares for regional play this week

By Josh Betts 2007

After a heartbreaking 43-42 loss to #13 Cedar Rapids Prairie Tuesday night, the CFHS women’s basketball team looked to rebound against metro rival Waterloo West.

The Tigers responded in a big way, picking up a 45-32 win over the metro rival Wahawks, who were without starting center Stephanie Peters, and reserves Jenica Kramer and Rayvann Schauf.

The Wahawks had been averaging just 38 points per game in conference play coming into the game.

CFHS head coach Dan List talked about his team’s performance Friday against the Wahawks.

“Our defensive execution was good the first quarter and a half,” List said. “It is nice to get a win. Our intensity and execution was not there the whole game.”

The Tigers jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead after one quarter on baskets by Abby Mohlis, Alyssa Heller, Caitlin Blau and Ali Cirksena.

“We told them (the team) we needed to get out early and get a lead. We wanted to end our regular season like we started it — with a win. We wanted to get an early lead so we wouldn’t have to play catch up.”

The Tigers would expand the lead to 16-0 midway through the second quarter on a Mohlis jumper at the 5:38 mark of the second quarter. The Wahawks would finally hit the scoreboard at the 5:25 mark, as the Wahawks Ali Durand hit the first of her three three-point goals.

All told, the Wahawks missed their first 14 field goal attempts, nine from beyond the arc. The Wahawks would outscore the Tigers 8-6 throughout the last 5:25 of the second quarter to trail just 22-11 at halftime.

“We were not controlling our execution (late in the second quarter), and that was dissapointing,” List said.

“When you jump out to a 16-0 lead, and lead 22-11 at halftime, I was dissapointed. There’s been times we needed to put away opponents, and we haven’t done it.”

In the third quarter, the Wahawks Ella Grarup would cut the lead to 22-13 at the 6:42 mark. Shortly thereafter, at the 5:40 mark, the Wahawks Taylor Ray cut the Tiger lead to seven at 22-15, but that would be as close as the Wahawks would get in the game.  The Wahawks Courtney Moss would pick up her third foul at the 5:11 mark of the third quarter.

“I thought we did an excellent job on her (Moss defensively),” List said. “I was pleased how our post people defended her.”

At the 1:31 mark of the third quarter, the Tigers’ Blau would convert on a three point play to make it 32-21 Tigers. On that play, the Wahawks Moss was charged with her fourth foul. At the 1:05 mark of the third quarter, Durand would hit her final three-point goal of the night to once again cut the lead to single digits at 32-24.

In the fourth quarter at the 7:14 mark, the Wahawks Moss committed her fifth foul, and fouled out. Moss was held scoreless for the game on 0-6 shooting.

A Durand bucket at the 3:59 mark cut the Tiger lead back to 11, and the Tigers would then take a 30 second timeout.

The Tigers would officially put the game out of reach on a Heller three pointer at the 2:27 mark, to put the Tigers up 42-28.
With 16.3 seconds left, the Tigers Ali Hines made a lay up to make it 45-32, the final score.

The Tigers shot 19 of 44 from the field (43.1 percent), but just a mere 6-17 from the free throw line, a concern for List.

“It’s huge,” List said of the low free throw percentage. “It’s mental, all the players are capable of making them.”

Another bright spot for the Tigers was just a mere four turnovers in the game.

“Anytime you’re under double digits turnovers, it’s pleasing.” List said.

Blau led the Tigers with 15 points on 6-14 shooting. Mohlis added 14 on 6-11 shooting.

Durand led the Wahawks and all scorers with 17 points on 6-12 shooting, including 3-7 from behind the arc.

List talked about the meaning of this win coming into Regional play this week.

“You’d like a little momentum,” List said. “It helps create a positive feeling for the team, (but now), everyone is 0-0.”

The Tigers second season begins Saturday, as they will face the winner of the Waterloo East vs. Waterloo West game to be held tommorow night at West High School.

The Tigers will face the winner of that game Saturday night at 7 p.m. at West High School.

List talked about the keys to beat East and West.

“(East), you can’t get dominated on the boards,” List said. “You cannot let (Mikayla) Sims have a big game. We have to keep our turnovers down, and hit some outside shots.”

“(West), we can’t have a letdown just because we’ve beaten them twice, and we can’t let (Courtney) Moss, (Ali) Durand and (Sara) Cox have huge games.”