After weather delayed the start of post-season play for many schools, the Bruin girls, ranked 17th by the OSAA, started their post-season in front of a full house Wednesday evening, hosting the #25 ranked Douglas Lady Trojans who handed the Bruin girls a close 36-40 loss in their only meeting earlier in the season.
With both teams believing they deserved to be there, a frenetic pace developed early in first period play, as both teams tried to find what was working for them and establish some scoring. But the up and down pace early on caused forced shots and turnovers by both teams, working their way to a 2-2 tie mid way through the first. The lethargic start was missed by senior point guard Rockette Marrington, #12, who hit three baskets and a free throw to score all 7 of the Bruin girls points in period, helping the Bruin girls to a 7-5 lead that they would never relinquish.
The Bruin girls defense pressed the ball handler on the inbound and trapped the Lady Trojan offense at every opportunity, running on every rebound and every turnover, exhausting the Lady Trojans with every sprint up and down the floor. After riding Marrington’s scoring in the first, the Bruin girls had five starters on the scoreboard in the period. Sophomore guard, #0, Amelia Bruce would hit a 3 pointer that would be the catalyst to a big night. The Bruins press and 2-3 man/zone defense frustrated Douglas, holding the Lady Trojans to just 6 points, however an early offensive run by Douglas would tie the score at 11 halfway through the second. But that would prove to be the last time Douglas would be close, as the Bruin girls shut down the Lady Trojans offensive attack holding them to just 6 points in the period, sending the Bruin girls to the locker room at the half leading 18-11.
With just a 7 point lead going into the final two quarters of play, defense was the focus coming out of the locker room for head coach Kara Miller’s Bruin girls, shutting down lanes in the key, dominating the defensive boards and allowing only two players to score in the period as the Lady Trojans struggled to keep pace with the fast charging Bruin girls offense. Again sophomore guard Amelia Bruce, #0, was too much for the Lady Trojans to handle, scoring 5 points in the period, including her second 3 pointer in the game. Rockette Marrington hit two baskets for 4 more points while senior Marissa Scott hit from the paint as she and Ashlyn Schofield began to dominate the key.
After extending their lead in the third period to 11 points, and as the fourth and final period began to unfold, the Bruin girls established dominance under the defensive boards, cleaning rebounds and running down any loose balls and turnovers beating Douglas with hustle and again holding the Lady Trojans to just 8 points. Marrington would lead the Bruin girls by example, tirelessly putting the Lady Trojans in offensive trouble and charging to the basket, hitting for 2 baskets and going 3 of 4 from the foul line. Bruce hit her third 3 pointer and senior center, #15, Marissa Scott hit a basket in the lane, and was perfect from the foul line for 4 points in the quarter as the Bruin girls mercilessly extended their lead to 50-27, to eliminate the Lady Trojans and take the win to advance in post-season play.
With the weather delay on Tuesday, the first week of post-season play will force the Bruin girls to play back to back games, sending them on the road to Sutherlin today, Thursday, February 16th, to challenge the undefeated #2 ranked Lady Bulldogs, who beat the Bruin girls 49-52 in a close fought match in their only meeting earlier in the season, tipping-off at 5:30pm.
