By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
TURNER, Ore.– Marist was one of those tough challenges for Cascade Friday night, but hey, the Cougars Girls Basketball team got it done.
They turned a 24-23 halftime lead into a 40-29 one going into the fourth quarter of their 50-43 victory. They knew they had to step up their defense. They went into more of a Man Defense with their zone to slow down the Spartans.
The bench stepped up. Olivia Bennett hit some shots. Lainey Klampe had some big blocks,four of them to lead Cascade, actually. Rozalynn Schmunk had some big lay-ups, and Cassidy Crabtree led the defense. It was a major team effort to build that lead, and it was that major team effort to hold off Marist down the stretch when the Spartans cut it to five with 1:33 left in the game.
“They’re a fighting team. It was a close game. But we came out with our defense, and we did our thing. No matter if we were in man or zone, we’re going to play our game,” said Bennett.
“That just kind of got us in the game because after halftime, it was a close game. We just came out composed,” adds Schmunk. “It prepared us because we went into Man, and we haven’t gone into Man, so I think this was a good game to see how we did.”
It was 45-40 at that 1:33 mark, an 11-5 advantage for Marist since the start of the third quarter. The Spartans couldn’t close the gap any further with the Cougars closing out the victory, their eight of the year, and their sixth-straight. Schmunk and Bennett each scored 19 points each in the win. Schmunk also had 13 rebounds. Crabtree led the squad with five assists as well.
Cascade closes out non-league play this next week when they travel to Springfield on Tuesday and La Pine next Friday before opening Oregon West Conference play at home against Stayton on January 21.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
