Keizertimes., May 28, 2021, Page 16, Image 16

PAGE A16, KEIZERTIMES, MAY 28, 2021
SPORTS
McNary guard Brookelynn Jackson looks to finish on the block in the Celtics 47-16 win over Sprague.
Photo by MATT RAWLINGS of Keizertimes
Celtics get convincing win in home opener
BY MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
The McNary girls basketball squad
returned to their gym for the first time in
15 months on Monday, May 24 and gave an
impressive performance against Sprague
in their home opener.
Leah Doutt led the Celtics with 15 points
and Bekah Grimmer added 11 points as
McNary dominated the contest from start
to finish, defeating the Olympians 47-16.
With five of the 13 players on the ros-
ter being seniors, McNary head coach
Elizabeth Doran is grateful that she gets
another season to coach this crew.
“It is so great that we were able to come
back and play for these seniors,” Doran
said. “I just think it is so fun for them to
be able to finish their senior year with
an actual basketball season because they
have been playing together since middle
school. I think it means a lot to them. I
know it means a lot to me.”
One of the seniors who has had a huge
impact on the program is Doutt. The first-
team all-league point guard had originally
decided to graduate early and head to
Southern Virginia University. But when
a spring basketball season was put in
the works earlier this year, Doutt elected
to come back to Keizer to finish her prep
basketball career — Doutt has decided not
to return to Southern Virginia and instead
will be heading to Utah State in the fall,
but plans on not playing basketball.
“It is definitely different than normal,
obviously, but getting to play my last year
with my friends is so amazing,” Doutt said.
“I have been waiting for this for so long. I
have put a lot of work in this offseason and
I am so excited to play.”
Although McNary had their struggles
with Sprague's 2-3 zone in the early going,
the Celtics offense eventually got things
clicking. A 3-pointer by Kylie Nepstad
and a fast-break bucket by Grimmer put
Kylie Nepstad brings the ball up the court.
Photo by MATT RAWLINGS of Keizertimes
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