Lady Trojans lose to Loyola, 61-28

By BENJAMIN KIBBEY

The Western News

After a 61-28 loss at home to Loyola Sacred Heart High School on Feb. 5, the Troy High School girls basketball team is taking their lessons and moving forward.

“We hung in there pretty well the first quarter, probably the first six minutes, then their speed just kind of got the best of us,” said Head Coach Justin Young.

“And they shot the lights out. I think they shot over 50 percent from the free throw line, and we just couldn’t buy a bucket, unfortunately,” he said.

The Lady Trojans were not doing well getting back on defense against the Lady Rams, Young said. In practice after the game, he was working with the team on keeping in motion and moving quickly from one play to the next.

“This year we’ve gotten a little more stagnant than in the past, I think,” he said.

Troy was led in scoring by junior Allie Coldwell against Loyola, and she continues to be one of the team’s strongest players. With an outstanding player such as Coldwell, it’s easy for the team to take more of a spectator role at times, Young said.

“Sometimes the girls get caught just watching, instead of moving to the spaces and involving themselves a little bit more,” he said.

“And that’s one thing we’re going to try to work on this week, is just balancing our offense a little bit more,” Young said. “Obviously Allie is going to be the most critical part of it, but we need the other players to step up — and have the confidence to step up — and I have all the faith in the world in them.”

Loyola 61, Libby 28

Loyola: 17 14 17 13 - 61

Libby: 12 4 3 9 - 28

Loyola: Sam Tiede 8 points, 2-2 FT; Emma Daniel 11 points, 2-2 FT; Sydney Koppang 11 points, 1-2 FT; Tessa Burke 21 points, 1-2 FT; Kenna Guenther 4 points; Mckenna Round 6 points

Libby: Allie Coldwell 15 points, 5-6 FT; Kaitlyn Downey 8 points; Izzy Ramirez 5 points, 1-4 FT