WP’s Press Breaks WM

WAITSBURG -- The WP Lady Cardinals held off Weston McEwen's fullcourt pressure for a 38-32 victory over the Tigerscots last Tuesday at Kison Court.

It was a defensive game from the start as both teams played "beat the press" with the Cardinals forcing Tigerscot error after error and lighting up the board first with a Kristin Potter deflection that she turned into a fast-break lay-up for 2.

The Cardinals continued to put points on the board with a baseline bank shot from Ronnie Hulce and another bank shot from Katy Hofer for a 6-0 Cardinal lead.

The Tigerscots next turned the ball over to the Cardinals with a traveling violation and Hulce put one more in for two from down low.

Weston McEwen took another shot at a fast break, but Potter deflected the Tigerscots' pass to break up the play. The Tigerscots were left scoreless with possession of the ball under the basket.

An inbound pass to Tigerscot Jaymie Zimmerman was banked in for two and the Tigerscots were on the board with 3.2 seconds left in the first quarter.

It took four minutes into the second quarter for the Tigerscots to put two more points on the board and the Cardinals answered with a bucket of their own when Goenen dished off an offensive rebound to Hulce for two.

It was Hulce again for two with 1:58 left in the half and once again with a bank shot underneath seconds later for a 15-5 Cardinal lead.

The Tigerscots managed to break away from the Cardinal defense long enough for a lay-up with 19 seconds left in the half. The Cardinals took a 17-7 lead into the locker room.

The Tigerscots kept the press on the Cardinals who were outscored by their opponents, 7-11, in the third quarter.

WP's Krystal Harris, who has been on fire from the perimeter all season, struggled to make a bucket and feisty little Potter found herself in hot water when she drew her fourth foul just a minute and a half into the third quarter.

It was Hulce and Hofer who both sank buckets for the Cards in the third. Hailey Goenen took charge on the Cardinal press, deflecting several Tigerscot passes en route of fast-break lay-ups.

The Tigerscots pulled within six points of the Cardinals before Hulce answered by swiping the Tigerscots' inbound pass underneath and banking it in for two.

WP's Harris' three-point attempt with seconds to go in the third was no good and the Cardinals took a 24-18 lead into the fourth quarter.

Potter returned to the floor in the fourth quarter, but soon found herself back on the bench when she was handed her fifth foul just seconds into the fourth quarter.

Weston McEwen's Molly von Borstel sank both her free throws.

WP's Taylor Doepker stepped it up and put some heat on the Tigerscots, draw- ing two consecutive fouls on the Tigerscots and going four-for-four from the freethrow line.

Hulce followed that up with another WP bucket and the Tigerscots stepped up the press leaving the Cardinals scoreless for the next two minutes while they pulled within four points of the Cardinals lead.

It was Harris who finally scored for the Cards with a half-court steal that she put up for two pints, while drawing a Tigerscot foul.

The Cardinals finished their scoring with free throws from Sam Moss and Doepker as the Tigerscots fouled the Cards to stop the clock and cut the Cardinal lead. But time ran out for the Tigerscots and the Cardinals took a 38-32 victory.

Hulce had a good night for the Cardinals with 16 points, nine rebounds, five steals, and two blocked shots. Doepker added seven points, five rebounds and two steals while Goenen had eight rebounds, six steals and three blocked shots.

The Cardinals will face the Asotin Panthers Friday, Jan. 6 in Asotin at 6 p.m.