TRAPPERS SWEEP SPARTANS AT HOME
BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune
Wrapping up the first semester at home the Northwest College women's basketball team swept visiting Colorado Northwestern Community College 76-50 and 72-63 to head into the winter break with an 11-5 record.
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Finishing out the first semester at home the Trappers (11-5) played a pair of games against the Spartans (3-11) beginning on Friday.
Early on both teams battled for the lead, as Northwest led 7-5 midway through the first quarter.
The Trappers continued hanging onto the lead as a late Jai'La Porter bucket made it 15-11 heading into the second.
Northwest's lead stretched to as many as five before the Spartans pulled the score back even at 22 just past the midway point of the quarter.
The Trappers finished the half strong, pulling ahead and holding a 30-26 lead going into the break after a Taylee Carlson jumper at the buzzer.
"I didn't like the defensive intensity in the first half as much. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't good. They were working, I just felt like they had a little bit more in them," coach Cody Helenbolt said.
Colorado Northwestern continued to hang around as Northwest led 43-38 midway through the third quarter.
Northwest finally started pulling away late in the third quarter, making it a double-digit contest at 53-43 after a pair of Bianca Silva free throws with just over a minute remaining.
The Trappers carried that momentum pushing the lead to 58-43 with another Porter jumper.
In the fourth quarter, Northwest pushed the lead past 20 points after a Tayva Phillips 3-pointer with 5:49 remaining.
Northwest led by as many as 26, which was the final margin as the Trappers won 76-50.
"I think we picked up the defensive intensity a little bit and were able to use that to get some fast break points," Helenbolt said. "The second half, that's kind of how we're capable of playing when we're kind of firing on multiple cylinders and not hurting ourselves with that stuff."
Porter led with 20 points, Phillips had 13 and Silva had 10.
Porter tied for the team lead in rebounds with seven alongside Sydnee Harris.
Silva led with three assists, Carlson had three steals and three different Trappers recorded a block.
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Playing the Spartans again on Saturday, the Trappers knew the second matchup would be just as tough, and neither team was willing to give an inch early.
Colorado Northwestern held the advantage early, leading 9-8 midway through the first quarter.
Northwest responded, took the lead and held a 15-12 advantage after the first quarter thanks to a late 3-pointer by Elise Swan.
The Trappers tried to break away in the second quarter, holding a 23-16 lead, and built it out further the rest of the half.
The lead reached double digits on a Carlson jump shot with 1:40 left, and the Trappers led 31-23 at halftime.
A contentious first half saw a technical foul called on the Spartans, and another technical called during the halftime break saw Phillips sink a pair of free throws before the second half started and Northwest led 33-23.
"You get sick of each other pretty quickly. They were fired up and ready to go," Helenbolt said.
Colorado Northwestern quickly cut into the lead, bringing the contest to a one possession difference with 8:29 left as the visitors trailed 33-30.
The hosts responded and pushed the lead out to 39-30 over the next 1:30.
Northwest built its advantage out to 45-33 with 3:15 remaining in the quarter, and tried to put away the visitors.
Unfortunately for Northwest, the Spartans did not fade away, as they made a 10-2 push to end the quarter. It was a 47-43 ball game heading into the fourth.
That push extended into the early fourth quarter, with the Spartans eventually taking the lead less than two minutes in, up 50-47.
Northwest answered with an 11-0 run, capped by Selen Ucak, to reestablish the Trapper lead.
"Definitely happy that once they made their run that we responded and made a run of our own with some of our second group in there," Helenbolt said. "I think that was kind of the story of that game is some of our kids off the bench made a big impact in that one … I was really happy with my second group because they kind of got us the lead, and then I was able to get the starters rest and then they came back in and took it from there."
It eventually reached double digits with three minutes remaining, after a Phillips jumper made it 63-53.
Northwest finished the game, earning a 72-63 win for the weekend sweep.
Silva led with 13 points, just ahead of Emma Pique with 12. Porter and Carlson both had 11 while Phillips had 10 points.
Porter added 11 rebounds to record a double double, while Silva had three assists and three steals.
WINTER BREAK
Heading into the winter break the Trappers hold an 11-5 record, with Helenbolt happy with their progress to this point in the season.
"I think the only game that we really wish we could have had back is probably the Air Force Prep one, that one would have been a big win for us," Helenbolt said. "The Bismarck game, we could have won that one. I feel like that's just a team that if we played them 100 times it would be about 50-50."
While the Trappers head into break for a couple of weeks, not returning to the court until Jan. 7, Helenbolt said he is preparing for conference opponents while also fine tuning things for when Northwest plays again.
"Probably just evaluating rotations, doing some scouting of our conference teams. Seeing if there's anything we need to add offensively or defensively that will put us in a little bit better position," Helenbolt said. "Then just try to kind of streamline everything so that when we get into conference play we're confident in everything that I'm asking them to do."
Northwest's next game will be Jan. 7 at home against the WY All-Stars.
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Total rebounds then offensive rebounds in ()
Points — Jai'La Porter 20, Tayva Phillips 13, Bianca Silva 10, Selen Ucak 8, Sydnee Harris 5, Kelsi Nicholson 4, Taylee Carlson 4, Elise Swan 3, Carolina Ruiz 3, Emma Pique 2, Ashlyn Wight 2, Bella Yates 2
Rebounds — Jai'La Porter 7 (3), Sydnee Harris 7 (3), Emma Pique 5 (1), Bella Yates 4 (2), Bianca Silva 3 (2), Carolina Ruiz 3 (1), Kelsi Nicholson 2 (2), Selen Ucak 2, Taylee Carlson 2 (1), Tayva Phillips 1
Assists — Bianca Silva 3, Emma Pique 2, Jai'La Porter 2, Selen Ucak 2, Carolina Ruiz 2, Tayva Phillips 1, Ashlyn Wight 1, Kelsi Nicholson 1
Steals — Taylee Carlson 3, Bella Yates 2, Tayva Phillips 1, Bianca Silva 1, Elise Swan 1, Carolina Ruiz 1
Blocks — Emma Pique 1, Elise Swan 1, Taylee Carlson 1
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Points — Bianca Silva 13, Emma Pique 12, Jai'La Porter 11, Taylee Carlson 11, Tayva Phillips 10, Carolina Ruiz 8, Elise Swan 3, Sydnee Harris 2, Selen Ucak 2
Rebounds — Jai'La Porter 11 (5), Tayva Phillips 6 (2), Sydnee Harris 4 (1), Bianca Silva 4, Emma Pique 3 (2), Bella Yates 3 (1), Taylee Carlson 3 (2), Kelsi Nicholson 2, Selen Ucak 2 (1)
Assists — Bianca Silva 3, Tayva Phillips 2, Jai'La Porter 2, Carolina Ruiz 2, Bella Yates 1, Selen Ucak 1
Steals — Bianca Silva 3, Tayva Phillips 2, Kelsi Nicholson