The Pagosa Springs High School Lady Pirate basketball team extended its win streak to three games after winning two more games last week and moved to 10-8 overall on the season.
“The girls are communicating better, trusting each other more, and competing at a high level every possession,” wrote coach Sarah Osborn in an email to The SUN. “Defensively, we’ve made it tough on teams to get comfortable, and offensively we’re moving the ball and taking high-quality shots.”
The Lady Pirates were back in action on the road against Monte Vista on Friday, Feb. 6, winning the game 37-22 behind what Osborn characterizes as patient offense and their disruptive full court press.
Pagosa only led by one point at halftime, going into the locker room up 16-15 after outscoring Monte Vista 6-5 in the first and the teams matching points in the 10-10 second quarter.
In the second half they took control, outscoring Monte Vista 12-2 in the third and 9-5 in the fourth for the 15-point win.
Adelyn Hittle led the Lady Pirates in scoring with 10 points. Ximena Garcia and Amber Snarr each added nine points, Kaila Limebrook scored five points, and Lexi Campbell and Victoria Currier each scored two points.
Campbell led the team in rebounds with six, Limebrook and Snarr each had five, Hittle finished with four, Garcia and Currier each had three, and Charity Domingo finished with one.
As a team, the Lady Pirates grabbed 27 rebounds.
The team assisted on six of its 11 made field goals, shot 81 percent from the free-throw line, finished with 18 steals and turned the ball over 19 times.
The Lady Pirates picked up a 46-16 win over Ignacio at home on Saturday, Feb. 7.
Osborn explains she felt that, once again, the Lady Pirates were able to disrupt Ignacio and not allow them to get any momentum in the game.
The Lady Pirates led 7-4 after the first quarter. After that, though, they took off, outscoring the Bobcats 10-2 in the second, 17-7 in the third and 12-3 in the fourth for a 30-point win.
The Lady Pirates held Ignacio to six points in the first half and 10 points in the second half.
Limebrook led the team with 11 points, Campbell added 10, and Snarr scored seven. Hittle, Currier and Bella Adkisson each scored four points. Domingo had three, Garcia added two, and Aliana Hoffschneider scored one point to round out the scoring.
Campbell finished with a double-double after leading the team with 11 rebounds.
Hittle hauled down 10. Limebrook had six. Garcia and Snarr each had three. Maddie DeClark and Currier each finished with two. Domingo, Hoffschneider, Ahrianna Martinez and Adkisson each finished with one rebound.
As a team, the Lady Pirates grabbed 41 total rebounds, assisted on 14 of their 18 made field goals, shot 67 percent from the foul line, finished with 15 steals and turned the ball over 18 times.
“When we defend, rebound, and share the ball, we’re a tough team to beat,” Osborn wrote. “Our team plays hard for four quarters and the result shows itself by the end of the games.”
The team is now the No. 16 team in Colorado 4A girls’ basketball.
The Lady Pirates will look to extend their winning streak with two games over the next week against league opponents.
The girls will host the No. 8 Alamosa Mean Moose, who are 13-5, on Friday, Feb. 13, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
The Mean Moose beat the Lady Pirates earlier this season 37-33.
Osborn emphasizes that the girls must take care of the ball better than they did in the first matchup and shoot a better percentage from the foul line if they want to win.
“Playing at home gives us energy, but we can’t rely on that alone — we have to be disciplined and play strong all four quarters,” she wrote.
The team will then travel to Cortez to play the No. 29 Montezuma-Cortez Panthers, who are 7-11, on Saturday, Feb. 14, beginning at 2:30 p.m.
The Lady Pirates beat the Panthers at home 35-27 earlier this year.
Osborn notes that Montezuma-Cortez plays physical basketball, so the girls need to stay tough, stay out of foul trouble, rebound well and value every possession to win on the road.
“We have continued to grow each game, and we are improving as a team each game. I am excited to see what this weekend of league play brings,” she wrote.
jsellner@orourkemediagroup.com
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