Balanced scoring leads SHS girls to first win
SANDPOINT - Balanced scoring and clutch fourth quarter free throw shooting helped propel the Sandpoint girls to their first win of the season, a 46-43 nonleague win over Mt. Baker Tuesday night at Les Rogers Court.
Senior Jenny Thomas scored seven points and grabbed five rebounds, but more importantly, scored Sandpoint's final six points as the lead changed hands several times in the final two minutes.
Christina Johnson scored 11 points to lead Sandpoint (1-10), but fouled out in the fourth quarter, leaving Thomas to take the crucial shots down the stretch.
"Jenny took over," said a happy coach Lance Bruce. "At the end of the game we had two freshman, two sophomores and one senior in a tight game. The win was huge."
Natasha Roop added eight points and four rebounds, and Alex Bucholtz added seven points and five boards as Sandpoint featured the most balanced scoring attack of the season. They also were clutch from the foul line, dropping 10 of 12 attempts in the fourth quarter, all important points.
The win is the result of a lot of hard work from a team that continues to improve.
"Even though we're not winning, they're showing up and working their tails off," said Bruce. "I'm very proud of the girls for hanging in there."
Sandpoint is at Moscow in a big 4A North clash Friday night.
Mt. Baker 13 10 3 18 - 43
Sandpoint 12 6 10 18 - 46
SANDPOINT - Johnson 11, Chatburn 5, Mead 2, Bucholtz 7, Heer 2, Thomas 7, Jones 4, Roop 8.
n Johnson has big game in loss to Lakeland (late Monday)
RATHDRUM - Christina Johnson tallied 17 points, 12 rebounds and four steals, and Charissa Chatburn scored nine points to go with two steals and two blocks, but it wasn't enough as Sandpoint fell 48-27 to a senior-laden Lakeland squad Monday night in Rathdrum.
Head coach Lance Bruce had high praise for the play of freshman guard Alex Bucholtz, who clamped down defensively on Lakeland's best player, point guard Camille Reynolds.
"Reynolds only scored two points on Alex to help hold her to a season-low of seven points, all of which came in the fourth quarter," said Bruce. "Alex came up big considering Reynolds is averaging almost 17 points a game."
The Bulldogs struggled at the free throw line, making only 7 of 23 attempts.
Sandpoint 6 6 6 9 - 27
Lakeland 10 11 10 17 - 48
SANDPOINT - Johnson 17, Adams 0, Chatburn 6, Mead 0, Bucholtz 0, Heer 1, Thomas 0, Jones 2, Roop 1.
LAKELAND - Stecker 2, Whitted 11, Quillin 2, Imthurn 4, Reynolds 7, Stecker 5, Rucker 9, App 2, Watson 4, Ranberg 2, Coder 0.