Wednesday, January 25, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Boys basketball splits two tight games
By Rongi Yost
Correspondent
The Outlaws fell 43-42
in a tight contest at Cottage
Grove on Tuesday, January
17, but three days later turned
it around and edged out
Sutherlin 33-32 in overtime.
On Tuesday, Sisters faced
last year’s Sky-Em champi-
ons, the Cottage Grove Lions,
who returned four starters, all
dynamic guards that can drive
and shoot the ball.
The Outlaws started off
well and jumped to a 16-6
start in the first quarter. Sadly,
untimely turnovers let the
Lions back in, and at the half
the Outlaws held a slim 24-22
advantage.
“We built a lead, but con-
tinued to not take care of the
ball, and gave them opportu-
nities back,” said Coach Rand
Runco. “We worked hard to
cut penetration and close on
shooters.”
Cottage Grove’s guard,
Blake Sentman, kept the Lions
in the game with long three-
pointers that hit the mark.
The Outlaws held onto
their slim lead into the fourth
quarter, but then the Lions
went on a run and with less
than two minutes left in the
game took a two-point lead.
Sisters was able to reverse the
ball and went inside-out to
find Ben Saba, who hit a huge
three to put the Outlaws up by
one with 25 seconds left on
the clock.
Sisters deflected a pass
and almost got possession,
but fouled. CG got the ball
out with 8.1 seconds left. The
Lions got the ball to Sentman
who tried to penetrate.
Runco said, “We’d stopped
him (Sentman), but in the
effort we did not communicate
and left a player open under
the basket, and with less than
a second on the clock, they hit
a lay-in and time was out. It
was a really tough loss. We
played well in so many areas,
but came up short. We need to
keep improving and work on
our end of game situations.
We are playing well, but are
turning it over without pres-
sure too much.”
Ty Horner recorded 12
points, Saba tallied nine, and
Tyler and Tanner Head com-
bined for eight.
The Outlaws beat the
Lions on the glass, and tied
them in turnovers. CG was
eight-for-15 from behind the
arc and most were very tough
shots. The Outlaws were
three-for-13 from the three-
point line.
Three days later, the
Outlaws played an intense
game at home against
Sutherlin, who play a tough
match-up zone and are a
patient team on offense.
Sisters had a great start
and were up 15-8 at the close
of the first quarter. Unforced
turnovers were costly for the
Outlaws in the second period
and as teams entered the half,
the Bulldogs held an 18-17
advantage.
The Outlaws struggled
offensively the second half,
but in the final period stepped
up their defensive pressure
and forced several turnovers.
The Outlaws got their energy
back, took over on the defen-
sive end, but struggled against
the Bulldogs’ zone.
“I was proud that we kept
battling, even though we were
really struggling scoring,”
said Runco.
Sutherlin kept up their
patient offense, and the
Outlaws had to battle to get
the ball back. Sisters out-
scored the Bulldogs 4-2 in the
fourth, which sent the game
into overtime.
In overtime, both teams
worked hard to get a good shot
at the basket. The Outlaws
finally got the ball to Horner,
who was good on his shot.
Runco said, “With the lead,
we spread the court, and we
knew once they had to guard
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PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK
Keagan Greaney goes to the basket in an overtime win against Sutherlin.
us, they were in trouble.”
Keegan Greaney flew by
his man, hit a lay-in, and put
the Outlaws on top by four
with less than a minute left on
the clock.
Miscommunication left
the Bulldogs’ in-bounder
unguarded, and he stepped
in and hit a three-point shot.
Up by just one, the Outlaws
turned the ball over and had
to defend with just a one-point
lead. Sisters kept the pressure
on and defended to the final
buzzer.
“It was not the prettiest
game, but a good battle,” said
Runco. “Everyone played hard
and we learned that in league,
teams will do anything within
the rules to beat you. It had a
playoff feel and it was a great
experience for our players.”
Runco told The Nugget that
overall the Outlaws stayed
with the game plan, the guards
defended the drive well, and
the bigs rebounded like crazy.
Horner, Tanner and Tyler
Head, and Greaney all did an
incredible job on the glass.
Saba and Noah Richardson
took good care of the ball,
and Greaney attacked the rim
when he could get through the
Bulldogs’ zone.
Horner finished the game
with 10 points, and Greaney
put up eight.
“I am really proud of the
boys after suffering a tough
loss at Cottage Grove, bounc-
ing back and staying mentally
focused and hanging in there
for an overtime win against
Sutherlin,” said Runco. “Both
games would have easily been
won if we had taken better
care of the basketball. It is
a good time of the season to
learn this lesson.”
Sisters was to play at
Junction City on Tuesday,
January 24. On Friday, January
27, the Outlaws will play at
home against Elmira. Tip-off
is scheduled for 5:45 p.m.
Join us for the
Big Game!
Kickoff is 5 at
Sun, Feb p m
3: 30
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