Overpowered on their home court on Tuesday, the Escalon varsity basketball girls fought a tough battle on the road Friday, but both games went in the loss column this week for the squad. Under new head coach Rick Mury, taking over for Kristie Cathcart during her maternity leave, the Lady Cougars were outmanned when hosting Calaveras on Jan. 12. The final was 68-8 in favor of the visitors.
"The Mother Lode League is very strong this year, they have four or five really good teams," Mury said. "They (Calaveras) were big, they were quick, really strong pressuring the ball and we couldn't get into our offense."
Escalon was frustrated at nearly every turn, unable to break the press and get any momentum going. Five different players scored, but no one had more than a pair of points. Hannah Yarborough, Autumn Andersen, Annie Gallego, Breanna Silveira and Jen Shipley all scored.
Traveling to face another Mother Lode League squad in the final 'crossover' game to close out the preseason, the girls were at Bret Harte on Friday night, Jan. 15.
"This was another good team and the final was 57-26 but this game was much closer than that score," Mury said. "We were down by just four midway through the third quarter when they went on a run and put it out of reach ... they scored 23 points in the fourth quarter."
Up until that midway point in the third, the Lady Cougars hung tough against the host Bullfrogs and trailed just 22-16 at the half.
"The kids played well, they broke the press, which is something we worked on in practice after Tuesday's game," Mury explained. "They passed through their press rather than try to dribble around it."
That made a big difference, as Escalon kept the game close until the Bullfrogs went on the big run late in the game.
Silveira was the leading scorer with 10 points, followed by Shayleen Archer and Gallego with five apiece, Liz Mendonca, Anne Bacay and Caitlin Brooks with two each.
"Caitlin, Hannah and Jen were tough on the boards," added Mury. "We as coaches were very happy with the play in this game."
Assisting Mury are his daughter Kate and Erek Johnson, who previously coached with him at Central Catholic.
"The Mother Lode League is very strong this year, they have four or five really good teams," Mury said. "They (Calaveras) were big, they were quick, really strong pressuring the ball and we couldn't get into our offense."
Escalon was frustrated at nearly every turn, unable to break the press and get any momentum going. Five different players scored, but no one had more than a pair of points. Hannah Yarborough, Autumn Andersen, Annie Gallego, Breanna Silveira and Jen Shipley all scored.
Traveling to face another Mother Lode League squad in the final 'crossover' game to close out the preseason, the girls were at Bret Harte on Friday night, Jan. 15.
"This was another good team and the final was 57-26 but this game was much closer than that score," Mury said. "We were down by just four midway through the third quarter when they went on a run and put it out of reach ... they scored 23 points in the fourth quarter."
Up until that midway point in the third, the Lady Cougars hung tough against the host Bullfrogs and trailed just 22-16 at the half.
"The kids played well, they broke the press, which is something we worked on in practice after Tuesday's game," Mury explained. "They passed through their press rather than try to dribble around it."
That made a big difference, as Escalon kept the game close until the Bullfrogs went on the big run late in the game.
Silveira was the leading scorer with 10 points, followed by Shayleen Archer and Gallego with five apiece, Liz Mendonca, Anne Bacay and Caitlin Brooks with two each.
"Caitlin, Hannah and Jen were tough on the boards," added Mury. "We as coaches were very happy with the play in this game."
Assisting Mury are his daughter Kate and Erek Johnson, who previously coached with him at Central Catholic.
