Prep Girls Basketball: Hoops season gets a jumpstart with Lower Columbia jamboree
Working Out the Kinks — Area teams quickly find out what’s good and what needs fixing
Jordan Nailon / blastzonenews@gmail.com
LONGVIEW — The thing about high school basketball jamborees is; you never know what you’re gonna get. And like a box of chocolates, it’s usually pretty a satisfying experience overall, even if there’s a few pieces everyone wishes they could avoid.
I mean, eating chocolate is better than not eating chocolate, especially when you haven’t had any for a while. And so, too, goes the appetite for prep hoops. After nearly nine months off it was easy to see Monday’s preseason girls basketball jamboree at Lower Columbia College for what it was — Just a bunch of kids in the candy shop.
Teams in attendance included Kelso, Mark Morris, R.A. Long, Woodland, Toledo and Winlock. Battle Ground was also in the building, but Washougal was a late scratch and caused some last-minute schedule shuffling.
Which is pretty much par for the course any season for a kickoff event with so many teams involved.
And this year the odds of “it” happening were elevated by a new WIAA rule that allowed for jamborees to take place after just a week of practice, rather than the previous threshold of 10 practices. It might not sound like much, but that’s only if you’ve never tried to teach a few dozen people a bunch of complicated concepts and then unveiled it to the community under bright lights at a publicly advertised event.
Something is sure to go awry for someone, somewhere. Busses break down. Jerseys go missing. Whatever. Things happen. But the show must go on. And for those teams that participated it proved to be a beneficial dress rehearsal.
And with a boys basketball jamboree taking place across the parking lot at Mark Morris High School and a long docket of games at Myklebust Gymnasium, faces in the crowd were constantly churning. Paid attendance wound up coming at over 200 fans in the seats.
And what did they see? A lot of effort. A few moments of brilliance. A couple close games. A few more blowouts. And overall, the fixings for what promises to be an entertaining winter in gymnasiums across the Blast Zone.
Below we’ve translated a little bit of what we learned in the season’s first public performance, and included a bit of what the coaches had to say after their twin 20-minute test runs. And be sure to check back at www.blastzonemedia.com for our upcoming series of previews for high school basketball teams in every hamlet and burg across the BZM coverage area.
KELSO HILANDERS
In their debut under first-year head coach Andrew Johnson the Kelso girls basketball team looked like a team with a high ceiling as far as potential is concerned. The Lassies put on a defensive clinic in their opener with a 11-9 win over Woodland, and then followed that up with an even more well-rounded effort in their second act on the way to an 18-10 victory over Battle Ground.
“When you go up against Woodland, Glen (Flanagan has) been there since forever and he had those kids rolling,” Johnson noted. “And then we went up against Battle Ground and kind of upped the ante with a little bit more pressure.”
Bregan Ruhland was the offensive focal point for Kelso once again, but she was without her trademark headband and even wore shoes with matching colors. More importantly, she looked more composed than last season but still showed a knack for finishing whenever she can get a defender on their heels.
Karsyn Hall also looked dynamic on the court. The sophomore is even quicker on a basketball court than she is on a soccer pitch, and that’s saying quite a lot. She’s going to be someone that opposing defenses have to keep an eye on when the ball goes up because if she catches an outlet pass on the fly it’s at least two points on the board.
“We put a very limited amount in for this, because everything is brand new,” Johnson said. “We thought we executed that as well as we could, but obviously you’re going to see things you need to work on.”
Tru Bettineski also impressed by providing savvy play in the backcourt.
“I put Tru in a position I hadn’t put her in all week, and she came in and did a great job as well,” Johnson noted.
But again, it wasn’t all positive reviews on Day 1. There’s always going to be things to iron out. Nuances to cover. Alternate scenarios to prepare for, and adjustments to be made.
“The big things for me were the little things we weren’t doing like the timing on the cuts and the timing on the screens,” Johnson said. “Between our offense and defense, I thought our defense was the best part.”
It’s always easier to implement the foundation of a solid defense quicker than the intricacies of a new offense. That’s just the way it is. But when someone in a different color jersey is trying to make you look bad, some players have a way of rising to the occasion without waiting to be told.
Kelso had a player like that.
“I thought Madalynn Moe had a great, great night,” Johnson said. “On the defensive end she was fantastic.”
Kelso will host Mark Morris next Tuesday at 7 p.m. to open the regular season.
MARK MORRIS MONARCHS
If there was one team that didn’t seem to be dealing with any first night jitters it was Mark Morris. Maybe it was the short walk over across the parking lot that had them feeling good, but after defeating Battle Ground 12-7 and waxing Toledo 17-4, the Monarchs were giving off an air of confidence that didn’t seem like a fluke.
“Our style of just creating as much chaos as possible really works for this environment because you don’t have to be the most structured yet,” Mark Morris coach Sean Atkins said. “You don’t have to know all of your plays to a T from every spot yet, you just kind of cause a lot of havoc and shoot the basketball.”
And that’s an approach that MM fans should get used to, because the Monarchs don’t plan on changing much any time soon.
“Even when we’re in midseason form it will look something similar to that, hopefully a little bit more fundamental,” Atkins noted.
That’s right, Mark Morris plans on using high energy defense to create offense all season long. In fact, they’re basically going to dare teams to frantically run and gun over the top because if you're playing the type of offense that the Monarchs choose for you they feel like they’re already a Euro-step closer to winning.
“How many teams practice long lob passes into full sprint lay-ins against people?” Atkins asked rhetorically, before confirming that his own team certainly doesn’t devote time to mastering the art of open gym fast-breaking. “And we work really hard on not fouling, so it’s really hard to make a layup at a full sprint.”
And with nearly everyone back from a team that battled its way into a state tournament berth last season the Monarchs have returned to the hardwood with big expectations. Reese Johnston will lead the offense, but she won’t have to do it all, and with so many complimentary pieces around here it would be counterproductive to try.
Sophomores Kamrie Guizzotti and Kiki Makaiwi have both proven they knock down a shot when it’s open.
“You saw Kamrie Guizzotti hit two more 3’s in the second game,” Atkins noted. “She’s going to be on who has her moments where people say, ‘Oh man, she looks like their best player right now.’”
And then there’s a senior contingent that includes a couple familiar surnames who have proven to be effective on both ends of the court, as well as off of it.
“The big part is the senior leadership of that first group,” Atkins explained. “With Kea Makaiwi and Raelie Guizzotti returning, just kind of being around the girls and being big sisters to them forever, this team has a very good feel to them about what the mission is and how they all want to accomplish it.”
Mark Morris will host Hudson’s Bay next Wednesday at 7 p.m. to open the regular season.
R.A. LONG LUMBERJILLS
The Lumberjills had a night that offered both glimpses of what can be and a blinking caution sign for what they hope to avoid. That is to say, there was a lot to digest for R.A. Long after defeating Winlock 23-13 and then falling 15-1 to Toledo to close the night out.
Those results can be at least partially explained by a change of personnel from one game to the next, with coach J.D. Ott opting to give his less experienced players more run in the nightcap. But there’s no denying that there’s some disparity in experience across the roster.
“The jamboree is partly just to see what you have, to see what you need to work on, and get the nerves out,” Ott explained. “Yes, everyone wants to win but for me it was also about getting some more experience for those other kids.”
Those other kids will include the likes of Samantha Montgomery and Rebecca Montgomery, a pair of sophomore twins who are making the jump up from the JV level. It was Rebecca who hit a free throw for the Lumberjills down the stretch against Toledo in order to avoid the shutout.
“What I really liked was that both games my kids never quit and they never gave up,” Ott noted.
In the first contest Alauna Brown led the Jills with eight points, while Jocelyn Magana added six points and Bri Garwood tallied five.
While she scored just two points on the night, junior post Evelyn Ofstun looks like she’ll be the centerpiece for the Lumberjills, both literally and figuratively. The key will be how strong she can be with the basketball in her hands, and how mean she can be when she’s helping the R.A. Long defense try to get it back.
“In the summer time she was playing with a lot of confidence,” Ott said. “She plays on a club team, too, and she has that experience and she knows what she’s capable of.”
Ofstun will be joined by two other three-year starters in Garwood, a junior, and Brown, a senior. Magana will be in her second season as a starter, and Sienna Dorland looks like she’ll be assuming a bigger role this season after playing sporadic minutes last season as a sophomore.
The Jills showed off an effective series of defensive presses that paid off down the stretch against Winlock, but won’t necessarily be looking to push the tempo at all times.
R.A. Long will open the regular season at Kelso on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
“That’s a good start for us to gauge where we’re at for the rest of the season,” Ott said. “We can play with anybody out there, we just have to do it for four quarters.”
WOODLAND BEAVERS
The Beavers wound up playing a different schedule than they’d signed up for after Washougal dropped out of the jamboree. That change left Woodland playing Winlock instead of the Panthers, and notching a 31-7 victory. The Beavers then jumped up three classifications to play Kelso and fell 11-9.
Not that Woodland coach Glen Flanagan was too concerned with the names on the opponent’s jerseys or the final scores of games that don’t count in the standings.
“It was different playing teams after one week,” Flanagan noted. “We did some good things and found some areas to work on.”
What we already knew, but managed to confirm in person on Monday, is that Kennedy Bockert is going to be a problem for opposing teams. Again.
The reigning TDN All-Area Player of the Year (as selected by yours truly) returns for her sophomore campaign after turning everyone’s heads violently in her rookie season. Bockert averaged a double-double last season and pulled down so many rebounds it was only noteworthy if she had enough boards or buckets to go bust in black jack.
Adi Stading will provide points and experience in the Woodland backcourt, while Lainey Haden and Jenna Starr will provide backup in the post for Bockert.
The Beavers found their rhythm quick against Winlock, but found it harder to operate on offense against Kelso. Those struggles may ultimately wind up telling Woodland more about itself than those rewards that were easier to earn. Or maybe it was all just a matter of course for the old Forest City hoopers before they endeavor on a serious hunt for a league title this season.
“It’s nice to just let the kids play someone other than yourselves in a pretty laid back environment,” Flanagan noted.
Woodland will open the regular season on the road, Monday, at W.F. West in Chehalis at 7:30 p.m. The Beavers will play their first home game next Wednesday when they host Kalama for a non-league rendition of the 8-Mile War at 7:30 p.m.
TOLEDO RIVERHAWKS
The Riverhawks probably received a crash course on getting back to the basics Tuesday at practice after an uneven display against both the big Longview schools during the jamboree. The Toledo girls basketball team lost to Mark Morris 17-4 in their opener, before dispatching R.A. Long 15-1 in the final contest of the evening.
But there was at least one aspect of varsity basketball that the exhibition contests provided, with no follow up needed.
“Basically we just needed to lose our jitters a little bit,” Toledo coach Randy Wood said of his team’s poor start.
While they’ve got plenty of talent, the Cheese Town hoopers will have to be good at the small things if they want to win the big games this season. They’ve got ball handlers all over the court and look like they’ll be trying to get out and run whenever possible. That offense will begin primarily with the efforts of returners like Ryah Stanley, Kailea Lairson, Ellie Fallon and Hope Gould.
However, it’s going to take a fortified commitment to the grittier details in order to generate those fast break opportunities.
“I wasn’t very happy tonight. We didn’t get into anybody’s grill tonight,” Wood said in reference to his team’s defense. “Our box outs weren’t very good and our close outs were terrible tonight. We need to work on that.”
Still, Wood knows that a lot of those struggles can be blamed on the fact that his team had only been in full blown basketball mode for a week before taking on opponents with different zip codes. That quick turnaround was clearly a high hurdle to clear even for a team that lost just two seniors in the offseason.
“It was brutal. I knew we weren’t ready to be competing with Mark Morris yet,” Wood said. “We’ve got about 90 percent of our offense back and 90 percent of our rebounding back so in the long run I think we’ll be okay, but we’re not nearly ready for a game yet.”
Toledo will have a little more than a week to get its affairs in order before beginning the regular season with a home game against Rochester next Thursday at 7 p.m.
WINLOCK CARDINALS
The Cardinals have new handwriting on the chalkboard this season with Matt Sixkiller now calling the shots in the Egg City. It wasn’t exactly a fairytale for Winlock in its first time out under Sixkiller, but it was a full circle moment for the Woodland graduate who coached against his sixth grade P.E. teacher, Glen Flanagan to get his tenure started.
But after suffering a 31-7 blowout to the Beavers a little bit of the shine might have come off that reunion.
“The first game you could tell when we got down by 10 they were like, ‘Oh shoot, it’s going to be like the last few years. We’re just going to get blown out,’” Sixkiller said. “So we had a little talk about, like, don’t give up on yourself. Play hard, that’s all I ask.”
That talk, and the resulting efforts, were evident in their following contest. While the score went in favor of R.A. Long 23-13, the Cards were nearly neck and neck with the Jills until the final minutes when they coughed the ball up repeatedly in the face of a full court press.
“It’s not a chew out but I just believe in being honest with yourself and each other. That’s how you build a great culture.”
Natalie Cardenas and Tori Sancho will split the backcourt duties this season for the Cards, while Kendyl Guenther also returns to the Winlock lineup. The trio will serve as co-captains for Winlock this season, and while they carry plenty of experience, they also represented 50 percent of the available personnel for the Cards in the jamboree. While two other players are on the roster, they were both out sick on Monday and neither is a starter.
“The second game I thought Natalie (Cardenas) played phenomenal. Just aggressive and trying to trap everything,” Sixkiller said. “Tori (Sancho) also played great…We were right with them up until that last minute, I think we just ran out of gas in the tank.”
Winlock will open the regular season at Castle Rock next Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Thank you for covering local teams. Great writing as always!