Girls Basketball: Trojans can't get offense going in 2 losses

Putting together a sound defensive plan that included a number of steals and rebounds, the Troy High School girls basketball team once again found itself in the position of nabbing a first victory on Friday night against Mission.

The Lady Trojans experienced a letdown in the second quarter but held the Bulldogs to just 17 points over the other three periods. In the end, however, Troy just could not get its offense going to fall, 31-20.

“Right now, the shots are our enemy,” THS girls basketball coach Neil Newton said. “It’s frustrating but I’m proud of my girls. They keep their heads up.”

Mission held a 6-3 lead through the first quarter – Troy’s only hoop coming with 1:38 left on a shot by Kimmy Klin. In the second, the Bulldogs scored 14 to take a 20-10 lead in at the break. Troy trailed 16-10 with 3:35 left in the quarter with points coming on an offensive rebound and hoop by Klin, a shot off the glass by Alyssa Olds and another board and basket by Jordan Williams.

But then the offense couldn’t generate anything else except one free throw over the second half of the period.

Mission had trouble finding its offense in the second half with a Troy defense that would not give up.

“They played great ‘D’ … when our shots fall, the ‘D’ will carry us,” Newton said.

Michaela Curry hit a long jumper in the third and Williams found the hoop with 1:07 left in the quarter as Troy trailed 25-14. In the fourth, the Bulldogs held a 31-14 lead with 2:22 remaining when Newton called timeout.

“They don’t score again this game,” Newton told the girls.

Indeed, the Bulldogs’ only offensive opportunity the rest of the game was a 1-and-1 at the free-throw line with 4 seconds left and the first attempt did not fall. Meanwhile, Troy’s Jackie Pepiot scored on a free throw and a bucket after getting the offensive rebound. Allie Maestas hit a 3-pointer with 1:02 left.

Six different players scored for the Trojans. Klin, Williams and Pepiot each scored four points.

On Saturday, first-place Bigfork took a 66-18 win over the Lady Trojans. The Vals opened the game with a 20-2 run in the first quarter.

Pepiot led THS with five points.

Troy (0-9, 0-16) plays at Libby on Thursday and at home vs. Eureka on Saturday.

Mission 31, Troy 20

Friday at Troy

Scoring by Quarters:

Mission    6    14      5    6—31

Troy    3      7      4    6—20

MISSION (31)

Courville 1 0-0 2, Weaselhead 0 2-2 2, Mitchell 3 1-2 7, Jensen 2 2-4 6, McDonald 5 0-0 10, Dally 2 0-1 4. Totals 13 5-11 31.

TROY (20)

Olds 1 1-2 3, Klin 2 0-2 4, Williams 2 0-0 4, Pepiot 1 2-4 4, Hines 0 0-2 0, Curry 1 0-0 2, Maestas 1 0-0 3. Totals 8 3-10 20.

Bigfork 66, Troy 18

Saturday at Bigfork

Scoring by Quarters:

Troy    2    8    5    3—18

Bigfork    20    14    20    12—66

TROY (18)

Olds 2, Klin 4, Hines 2, Messerly 3, Williams 2, Pepiot 5.

BIGFORK (66)

Knoll 10, Woll 4, Shults 5, Paine 8, Macfarland 2, Cenis 4, Peck 9, VanDerveer 6, Charlebois 4, Fierro 14.