16 November 2008
Wolfpack take down the SM/SC Thunderbolts 16-10
11/16/08 16:28 Filed in: Games
LIVERMORE, CA -- The St. Raymond Wolfpack traveled to Granada High School to take on yet another SM/SC team. The SM/SC Thunderbolts seemed to be the strongest of the SM/SC teams the Wolfpack has faced so far. Although the Thunderbolts played a tough game, the Wolfpack came away with a 16-10 win.
The Wolfpack had a guest player from the other St. Raymond 3rd grade girls’ team, Maddie Taylor, since two of the top Wolfpack players (Hailey Meyer & Nikki) were missing from the game due to soccer commitments. Maddie was a welcome addition as she has the great ball handling and defensive skills of Nikki and the scoring ability of Hailey. Because the Thunderbolts employed a similar strategy, defensive wise, as the Wolfpack, with the double chasers ready to meet the point guard right at the half way line, it was really important for the Wolfpack to have a great ball handler to bring the ball past the defenders.
Early in the game, the Thunderbolts started the scoring with a layup that gave them a 2-0 lead, which was the only lead they had in the game. As in the other two previous games, Jillian Weber started the scoring for the Wolfpack by dribbling around the Thunderbolt defense and finished with a nice layup. A couple of minutes later, Tess Molinar was fouled in the act of shooting, so she got to take two free throws. After the game, Tess could be heard saying that she wasn’t expecting to make either of her free throws, but she rattled the first one in and hit nothing but net on the second shot. Tess also made a basket later in the first half, so she finished the game with 4 points. As a side note, the Wolfpack’s free throw percentage in the last two games is at an amazing 80% (4 of 5), which is better than all but four NBA teams.
Maddie Taylor came in halfway into the first half and took over the game with some nice ball handling and tough defense. Maddie scored six points, once off an offensive rebound, another from a pass from Jillian Weber, and her last one was from one of her steals that she finished with a layup that quieted the home crowd, which wasn’t used to seeing their team that far behind. Maddie’s six points were the difference in the game, so I think it is safe to say that the Wolfpack probably wouldn’t have won without Maddie’s help.
Speaking of tough defense, Jillian Weber didn’t have quite the number of steals this game as she did last week, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. Jillian was very aggressive, maybe overly so, as she picked up four fouls in the game. After picking up her fourth foul late in the fourth quarter, and realizing that if she got five fouls she would be out of the game, Jillian went up to Coach Mark and said “Coach, take me out before they do!” In the second half, Jillian did make two more nice shots from the field, one from around the free throw line, which gave her six points for the game, so she did end up with more points than fouls.
The Wolfpack had a guest player from the other St. Raymond 3rd grade girls’ team, Maddie Taylor, since two of the top Wolfpack players (Hailey Meyer & Nikki) were missing from the game due to soccer commitments. Maddie was a welcome addition as she has the great ball handling and defensive skills of Nikki and the scoring ability of Hailey. Because the Thunderbolts employed a similar strategy, defensive wise, as the Wolfpack, with the double chasers ready to meet the point guard right at the half way line, it was really important for the Wolfpack to have a great ball handler to bring the ball past the defenders.
Early in the game, the Thunderbolts started the scoring with a layup that gave them a 2-0 lead, which was the only lead they had in the game. As in the other two previous games, Jillian Weber started the scoring for the Wolfpack by dribbling around the Thunderbolt defense and finished with a nice layup. A couple of minutes later, Tess Molinar was fouled in the act of shooting, so she got to take two free throws. After the game, Tess could be heard saying that she wasn’t expecting to make either of her free throws, but she rattled the first one in and hit nothing but net on the second shot. Tess also made a basket later in the first half, so she finished the game with 4 points. As a side note, the Wolfpack’s free throw percentage in the last two games is at an amazing 80% (4 of 5), which is better than all but four NBA teams.
Maddie Taylor came in halfway into the first half and took over the game with some nice ball handling and tough defense. Maddie scored six points, once off an offensive rebound, another from a pass from Jillian Weber, and her last one was from one of her steals that she finished with a layup that quieted the home crowd, which wasn’t used to seeing their team that far behind. Maddie’s six points were the difference in the game, so I think it is safe to say that the Wolfpack probably wouldn’t have won without Maddie’s help.
Speaking of tough defense, Jillian Weber didn’t have quite the number of steals this game as she did last week, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. Jillian was very aggressive, maybe overly so, as she picked up four fouls in the game. After picking up her fourth foul late in the fourth quarter, and realizing that if she got five fouls she would be out of the game, Jillian went up to Coach Mark and said “Coach, take me out before they do!” In the second half, Jillian did make two more nice shots from the field, one from around the free throw line, which gave her six points for the game, so she did end up with more points than fouls.