Your future, our focus
BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune
Two victories over three days gave the Northwest College women’s basketball team a much needed boost in the race for the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye — the Trappers defeated Eastern Wyoming 76-34 at home Thursday before securing a key victory Saturday at Western Wyoming 78-70.
NORTHWEST 76, EASTERN WYOMING 34
Kicking off the weekend at home the Trappers (18-9 overall, 5-2 Region IX North) welcomed the Lancers (5-20 overall, 1-7 Region IX North) to Powell after the game originally scheduled for Wednesday was moved to Thursday due to weather.
Northwest burst out of the gates to an 11-2 lead over the first six minutes of the game, with four different Trappers scoring early.
“The girls knew we needed a win and they played with a chip on their shoulder,” coach Lauren Davis said. “We wanted to transition and they did a great job on setting the tone the first five minutes.”
That lead was maintained the rest of the quarter, with Northwest leading 18-9 heading into the second quarter.
The Trappers continued their strong play from the first quarter and pushed their lead out to 16, taking a 35-19 lead at halftime.
Turnovers piled up for the Lancers in the third quarter, seven in total allowed for the Trappers to push their lead out further and make it a 54-26 game going into the fourth quarter.
In the final quarter, the Trappers continued to cruise and finished with a 76-34 victory.
Northwest outrebounded Eastern Wyoming 36-22, held the visitors to 25.5% shooting and never trailed in the contest.
Kamber Good Luck led the way with 25 points, followed by Darla Hernandez and Natalyah Nead with 11 points each as other Trappers in double figures.
NORTHWEST 78, WESTERN WYOMING 70
In the second contest of the weekend the Trappers went to battle with the Mustangs (13-12, 4-3 Region IX North) in Rock Springs on Saturday, with the winner gaining an edge for the second seed and a bye at the Region IX tournament in two weeks.
Western Wyoming took advantage of early turnovers, missed shots and fouls by the Trappers — building an early 10-4 lead over the first five minutes.
Northwest picked up its defensive intensity, scoring six straight to tie the game at 10.
Western responded over the final three minutes of the quarter, reclaiming the lead and pushing it out to 22-15 after the first.
Northwest cut into the lead over the first four minutes of the second quarter, but was unable to claim the lead from the Mustangs. Each time the Trappers cut into the lead the Mustangs responded, and kept Northwest at arm’s length.
Northwest finally broke through and took the lead on a Nayeli Acosta 3-pointer with under a minute remaining in the half to make it 34-33.
“We knew we had to be better on the boards and limit our turnovers,” Davis said.
That score held going into halftime.
Northwest built on the momentum going into halftime, quickly extending the lead in the third quarter out to multiple possessions behind a strong presence in the paint.
Strong shooting helped the Trappers build the lead to double digits, making it 51-41 on a Jimena Montoro-Cabezas free throw with just under four minutes left in the quarter.
The lead was pushed out to as many as 14 in the third, but the Mustangs cut the lead down to 61-50 going into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth, Northwest used a strong press break to push out and get easy baskets, growing the lead quickly to 18 over the first 2:30 minutes.
Western chipped away at the lead over the next seven minutes, but Northwest was able to keep the lead safely en route to a 78-70 victory.
Despite being outrebounded 43-29 and outshot by 15 field goal attempts, the Trappers finished with a 50.9% field goal percentage compared to 36.1% for Western Wyoming.
“I think we did a good job of altering their shots, and offensively we finished well,” Davis said. “You’ll win a lot of games shooting 50% from the field and over 40% from the 3-point line.”
Roxanne Rogers led the way with 23 points for the Trappers, alongside Jimena Montoro-Cabezas who finished with a 15 point, 11 rebound double-double.
The victory helped Northwest move a game ahead of Western Wyoming in the race for the No. 2 seed in the Region IX North.
HOME STRETCH
Northwest now finishes out the regular season this week, playing three games over a five day period.
That stretch begins Thursday (today) on the road in Cheyenne, taking on Laramie County Community College (18-9 overall, 4-4 Region IX North) at 5:30 p.m.
“We are just focusing on one game at a time and not getting ahead of ourselves,” Davis said.
Playing the second half of a back-to-back the Trappers will make a quick trip over to Riverton after Cheyenne, taking on Central Wyoming (3-21 overall, 1-7 Region IX North) on Friday at 5:30 p.m.
Northwest will then close out the regular season at home on Monday, taking on Western Wyoming once again at 4 p.m. for sophomore night.
The Trappers have locked up at least a home play-in game, and can earn a position from the No. 2 to No. 4 seed. Northwest currently holds a slim lead over LCCC and Western Wyoming for the No. 2 seed.
Casper College has already claimed the Region IX North title and will be heading to Western Nebraska for the Region IX tournament in two weeks. Western Nebraska claimed the Region IX South crown.
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Total rebounds then offensive rebounds in ()
Points — Kamber Good Luck 25, Darla Hernandez 11, Natalyah Nead 11, Roxanne Rogers 9, Jimena Montoro-Cabezas 7, Nayeli Acosta 6, Batoul Khaleefah 5, Layla VonBerndt
Rebounds — Jimena Montoro-Cabezas 8 (3), Darla Hernandez 8 (3), Roxanne Rogers 5, Kamber Good Luck 4, Batoul Khaleefah 4 (1), Natalyah Nead 3 (3), Nayeli Acosta 2 (1), Ashly Botz 1, Layla VonBerndt 1
Assists — Kamber Good Luck 4, Roxanne Rogers 3, Jimena Montoro-Cabezas 2, Nayeli Acosta 2, Natalyah Nead 2, Darla Hernandez 1, Yaiza Vacas-Lopez 1, Batoul Khaleefah
Steals — Jimena Montoro-Cabezas 4, Kamber Good Luck 3, Darla Hernandez 2, Yaiza Vacas-Lopez 1, Natalyah Nead 1, Batoul Khaleefah
Blocks — Jimena Montoro-Cabezas 1, Darla Hernandez 1, Natalyah Nead 1
NORTHWEST 78, WESTERN WYOMING 70
Points — Roxanne Rogers 23, Jimena Montoro-Cabezas 15, Nayeli Acosta 9, Kamber Good Luck 8, Darla Hernandez 8, Natalyah Nead 8, Batoul Khaleefah 7
Rebounds — Jimena Montoro-Cabezas 11 (2), Darla Hernandez 6 (1), Roxanne Rogers 5, Natalyah Nead 3, Nayeli Acosta 2, Batoul Khaleefah 2
Assists — Jimena Montoro-Cabezas 1, Kamber Good Luck 1, Batoul Khaleefah 1
Steals — Roxanne Rogers 2, Darla Hernandez 2, Batoul Khaleefah 2, Natalyah Nead