Girls exceed last year”s win total

Published 5:58 pm Monday, November 24, 2008

By Matt Phelps

The Mercer Island girls basketball team won just three games last season. The team won its fourth game of this season on Friday, 65-45, at Interlake — and there are still 10 games left.

“I think we are playing a lot more unselfish than before break,” said Mercer Island girls basketball head coach Jamie Prescott. “The girls are starting to recognize that there are roles on the team and they aren’t so afraid of that. I think they are starting to grow into those roles.”

The Islanders began the game with a 20-8 first quarter lead, but struggled some during the second period as the Saints played them point-for-point. After halftime the Islanders put Interlake away by holding their opponents to just nine points during the third period.

Mercer Island had balanced scoring as every player put the ball in the basket. Georgia Gier and Elaine Chirls led the squad with 12 points each.

The win against Interlake was the team’s third game in four days and second of two victories last week.

M.I. vs. Mount Si

Single-digit team scoring during the second and fourth periods against Mount Si Wednesday led to the Islanders’ demise, 72-42. Mercer Island just could not keep up with the Wildcats, despite 16 points from Katie Stadius. A 12-11 deficit during the first period ballooned to a 33-17 halftime lead for Mount Si.

Mercer Island didn’t fall any further behind until the fourth period when the Cats went wild, outscoring the Islanders by 13 points.

M.I. vs. Eastside Catholic

Mercer Island earned a victory over Eastside Catholic 51-40 on Tuesday, Jan. 4, as three Islanders scored in double digits.

Mercer Island’s undermanned opponents suited just nine players, but the 17-9 first quarter advantage made the point moot.

“We really did a good job of looking up court and having good spacing,” said Islander Meg Farra. “We worked on shooting over the break and I think it helped tonight.”

The Islanders let the Crusaders back into the game during the second quarter, as traveling calls killed all their momentum.

“We have to work on turnovers,” said Prescott. “We are doing a better job of reading when people are open and our shooting percentage went up, there were positives and negatives.”

The Islanders’ first bucket of the second quarter came on an Ellie Chapman drive into the paint. The second basket of the quarter came four minutes later, as a rebound and bullet pass by Amanda Nield to a sprinting Jesse Paull resulted in an easy lay-up.

But that would be it for Islander offense during the quarter, as Eastside Catholic pulled to within 21-19 at the half.

“We had some good things and some things to work on,” said Paull. “But we are getting better. We tend to work well as a team and look for the open player.”

The Islanders took back command of the game during the third period with a 9-2 run. A steal by Islander Kelly Houtchens and assist to Farra gave the Islanders a 16 point lead with 4:20 remaining. The momentum was capped by Farra’s running jumper with two players in her face.

The Crusaders’ lack of bench help made for a tired team during the fourth period as the Islanders held on for the win.

Paull led the Islanders with 15 points, while Chapman scored 12 and Gier contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.

Mercer Island now has a 4-6 record overall and the team is 2-4 in league play. The Islanders will tackle a tough week of games as they traveled to Auburn Tuesday (after Reporter deadline), Bellevue tonight and Liberty Friday. The team’s next home game will be Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. against Newport.

“We just have to believe in ourselves and work hard,” said Paull.