New Westminster juniors are the promise of what lays ahead for the Hyacks senior girls’ basketball team.
New West played a largely junior lineup in the final quarter in Wednesday’s 77-69 loss to the first-place Burnaby South Rebels at Massey Gym.
In what turned out to be a much closer outcome than the first half may have indicated, New Westminster got 32 points off the bench, including 28 from junior callups in the BurWest district league matchup.
“There are two things,” said Hyacks junior and senior girls’ head coach Doug Woodward of his decision to play his juniors in the final quarter. “They play well and they’re pretty good athletes.”
After ending the first half trailing 42-24, New Westminster came back to outscore the AAA No. 9-ranked South in both the third and fourth quarters, including 24-18 in the final stanza.
Junior Justice Steer nailed one of her three three-pointers of the half to shave the deficit to under double figures at the eight-minute mark.
The Grade 10 guard potted her third trey from the perimetre, and fellow junior teammate Madisen Obrovac scored on a running jumper with two minutes remaining on the clock to trail South 74-66.
But in the end, South’s relentless pursuit to the ball and tireless defence kept New West from getting any closer.
The Rebels opened the game, making no secret with how they would try to dictate the match.
Pressuring New West down low, South made numerous points off turnovers all game long that ultimately proved the biggest difference in the outcome.
“We don’t break a press really well. I knew it was coming,” said Woodward.
But despite the pressure, New West held its own for the first five minutes of the game and trailed 13-12.
But South’s first-quarter persistence led to a 16-2 run to close the opening frame.
The Rebels kept up the momentum with Desiree Lister and Jasmine Manhas doing most of the damage with nine and 13 first-half points, respectively.
Manhas led all scorers with 28 points, while Lister, the rebound leader in the game, got 14.
Ana Lukic and Amie Morrison also chipped in with double-digit games for South.
Amanda Zacharuk led the Hyacks with 11 points, while Obrovac and Steer finished with 10 and nine points apiece.
“We should have won by more,” said South’s Manhas. “We are all really good athletes. We can all push it.”
On the plus side, New Westminster got points from 10 players, including four from Grade 9 Celia Palmer.
Woodward says the goal for his senior team is to just peak for the post season.
“We just have to get in the (Vancouver and District championship) somehow,” he said.
But the Hyack coach has got further plans before he says he will retire.
“That’s my last team,” Woodward said of the upcoming junior squad.
“I want to get them to the B.C.s. I’m already thinking about it now.”
