Riding a 2 game win streak, coach Schofield and the 7-1 BHHS Lady Bruins varsity basketball team hosted the Cascade Christian Lady Challengers Thursday night.
Cascade Christian challenged the Lady Bruins early, running on the Lady Bruin defense taking a 2-6 lead at the mid-way point of the 1st period. But the Lady Bruin defense and hard work under the basket sparked a late run that led to #2 Tilly Peters and Sierra Fitzhugh #00 combining to hit three 3 pointers to lead a late Lady Bruin rally and take a 13-9 lead after the first period.
As the Lady Challengers worked to break the Lady Bruin press, only 3 Cascade Christian shooters scored 4 baskets in the second period. The Lady Bruins ran on the Lady Challengers, finding a hot Shelby Jirsa #5 open for three 3 pointers in the period. Fitzhugh hit another 3 pointer and went 2 for 2 at the line as Jirsa’s 9 points in the period led the Lady Bruins to a 31-19 lead at the half.
Coming out of the break with a 12 point lead, the Lady Bruins applied the pressure early, putting Cascade Christian in a desperate struggle to keep pace with the Lady Bruins Schofield sisters who took control of the 3rd quarter scoring all but 1 of the Lady Bruins 14 points in the period.
Sophomore #44, Ashley Schofield, who has given the Lady Bruins power down low in the block, hit three baskets in the lane for six points and shut down Cascade Christian second shot opportunities rebounding in the defensive paint. Senior Lexi Schofield #1 hit one of her two 3 pointers of the game and went 4 for 4 from the free-throw line giving the Lady Bruins a 45-28 lead at the end of 3 periods.
Going into the final period with a comfortable lead, the Lady Bruin defense shut down any attempts by Cascade Christian to close the gap and held the Lady Challengers to just 9 points off of 3 baskets and 2 free-throws.
The Lady Bruins continued to work, shutting down the Cascade Christian offense, and 5 Lady Bruin shooters on the scoreboard. Fitzhugh led all scorers with 14 points off of a basket, three pointers, and a perfect 3 for 3 from the line. Lexi Schofield had 12 points from a basket, two 3 pointers and a perfect 4 for 4 from the foul line. Shelby Jirsa hit three big 3 pointers in the second period and a basket in the first for 11 points in the 57-37 Lady Bruin win.
Coach Schofield told the Compass after the game that “Our focus wasn’t where we’d like it to be early on, shooting like we were afraid they’d take points away from us if we made layups. We missed some rotations defensively and didn’t do a good job identifying their shooters and drivers.” he said. “Fortunately we had a run in the first half where we shot the lights out before we settled in and really played harder and smarter in the second half.
The now 8-1 Lady Bruins are now scheduled to travel to Sutherlin next Tuesday to avenge their only loss of the season against the undefeated 7-0 Sutherlin Lady Bulldogs.
