10:18 AM, Dec. 3, 2011
| ST. GEORGE - There's not a blueprint on how to form a cohesive and successful team. If there was, a coach's job would be much easier. Nonetheless, the process of transforming such a group varies from team to team with no guarantees it will ever reach the pinnacle of success.
The Hurricane girls basketball team took a tremendous step forward toward building a team together after cruising past nonregion foe Stansbury on Friday night 45-38 for their first win of the season.
"We have a lot of new players," said Tigers coach Shelly Kidd-Thomas. "So we're a bit inexperienced. Right now we're trying new lineups, new strategy and seeing how everything works together."
With losses to Delta and Beaver to start the season, Hurricane knew it was just a matter of time before its new and returning players would get on the same page.
Against Stansbury, they did just that.
The Tigers were all in from the start, bursting out to a 9-2 first quarter lead, behind a stellar - and highly effective full-court press defense. The pressure rattled the Stallions solid backcourt duo of Erika Alvey (14 points, including four treys) and Kendal Levine (eight points). The result produced numerous turnovers for the Stallions, which led to the Tigers' 16-4 lead.
On the perimeter, senior point guard Carly Stratton (two points, four assists and seven steals) conducted the offense to precision, putting her teammates in position to execute. In the paint, center Tasha Keil (12 points and 12 rebounds) dominated the paint and muscled her way to within about three feet of the basket. Together, the Tigers had all areas of the court in control.
Kidd-Thomas said the Tigers are fortunate to have a veteran leading their backcourt and at the same time, and she has big expectations from her junior center.
The Tigers (1-2 overall) kept their momentum going in the second quarter.
Sophomore guard Madi Hall's (eight points) back-to-back baskets grew the Hurricane lead to 26-9 midway through the quarter. After both teams traded free throws, the Tigers ultimately took a comfortable 34-14 lead into the half.
"You never know who's going to step up and make a play," Kidd-Thomas said. "I wouldn't say we depend or expect one player to carry us. ... Everything we do, we do as a team."
With the lead well in hand, Hurricane frequently substituted its starters in the second half. In doing so, Stansbury (0-3 overall) outscored them, 24-11 in the last two quarters. However, the comeback bid wasn't enough as there wasn't simply enough time.
Other notables were Stansbury's Dani Mohler's 11 points while Bailey Hirschi and Brooklyn Gubler combined for 13 points, 10 rebounds, and two steals for Hurricane.
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