ALAMOSA-Junior guard Aspen Pinnecoose scored 16 of her game-high 18 points during yet another solid second half, but it wasn't enough to help extend the Wolverines' season as the Bayfield girls fell at Alamosa in the Intermountain League District Tournament's play-in game Tuesday evening.
Outscored just 22-20 during the third and fourth quarters, BHS got five points from senior forward Jessie Roukema, three from senior forward/guard Andrea Zelinski and one from junior forward Emily Peinado in a 44-27 loss.
"We can look each other in the eye and know that we played until the end and did what we could for each other," said Head Coach Bri Simbeck. "And that's something you respect. I, as a coach, respect that and I'm proud of them for doing that."
"We've been able to rely on our defense a little bit this year. It's been our offense that's kind of slowed us down. But the girls executed, for the most part, the game plan in the first half; we just weren't able to put the ball in the basket," she continued. "The second quarter.really killed us. To be a good team and to really contend-play on Thursday and Saturday-you've got to be able to play a full game."
Down just 8-3 after eight minutes, Bayfield was outscored 14-4 in the second quarter, allowing the Mean Moose to build a lead threatened only by Pinnecoose's eight-point third. But Alamosa junior guard Brooke Trujillo countered with consecutive three-pointers, giving her a team-best 10 points and keeping the visitors at bay.
"We really wanted it bad enough," she said. "We came together as a team and just went out there to play."
AHS' bench then scored 11 of the home side's 12 fourth-quarter points to sew up the win, despite Pinnecoose trying to spark the guests one last time with twin triples and eight points in the frame.
"I really like these girls," Simbeck stated. "I'm sad to see Jessie and 'Dre' go; I think they both have competitive fire in them. And our young 'uns.they're fun, they keep me young! I think we have a lot of potential.tremendous athleticism, and now we just have to add some 'basketball' to that athleticism."
"We're learning, we're young, and I'm confident that we're going to get better," said the second-year coach. "I'm looking forward to hopefully coming back and coaching them again."
