The South East girls basketball team had an up and down opening to the Estevan 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games.
The U14 club crushed Team Prairie Central 72-17 at Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) on Monday morning to start the Games, but couldn't keep up that soaring pace in the second half of their opening day doubleheader. Despite a solid start that had Team South East keep up with Team Rivers West in the early goings of their Monday night match at Affinity Place, the club suffered a series of breakdowns in the final three quarters to fall 50-31.
“We really needed to come out this game like we came out in the morning game and it's just for whatever reason we couldn't do that,” said South East coach Rob Andrist. “Then things don't start going your way and I think the players started to get a little frustrated and I know I started to frustrate a little bit too.”
After Team Rivers West pulled out to a 3-0 advantage early in the first quarter, Team South East battled back to take a 4-3 lead capped off by a layup through traffic by Tayla Trakalo. Rivers West quickly got the lead back with post Abbey Neufeld providing the offence before South East closed the gap to 13-10 at the end of the first quarter thanks to Charlotte Andrist and Carlie Kaspick draining two's from in close.
Rivers West seemed to find their game in the second quarter jumping ahead to a 24-16 lead by halftime with Kristen Mee providing an offensive push. Bad bounces, untimely giveaways and a difficulty to connect on passing attempts followed the South East into the second half with Rivers West notching a 37-21 lead after three quarters. The South East continued to battle in the final frame with Anna Cushion proving a force under the Rivers West basket, but the girls couldn't overcome the deficit.
“The key for us was to win one of these games, so we've accomplished that,” said Andrist. “Certainly as a team we really wanted this game, but at the same time we finished okay in our pool. We're one and one, so we got a chance.”
Basketball notes...The South East boys basketball team fell 50-40 to Team Lakeland at ECS on Monday in their first game at the Games. The club suffered a 56-42 setback against Team Parkland Valley a few hours later at Affinity Place.
