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M/CLOUDY Temp: 42 °F Wind: WNW at 3 mph Monday, March 3, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend February 12, 2003 Hornets’ sting swells into four-way tie atop Skyline By ROD HARWOOD for the Mail Tribune PHOENIX — Henley’s Ron Smith has spent most of his 30-year coaching career teaching kids how to run faster. Tuesday night, his girls basketball team ran away from Skyline Conference-leading Phoenix, 59-34. The Hornets held Phoenix scoreless through the first six minutes and utilized a 16-2 run to take control. The outcome created a logjam at the top of the standings, where Phoenix, Henley, Lakeview and North Valley are all 7-2. "This was the most important game of the year so far because Phoenix was in charge of the league coming in," said Smith, a longtime Henley track coach who will retire at the end of the school year. "Now, it’s back in our hands. I thought, defensively, we were able to pressure them. We were in their face and they hurried their shots, and I thought that hurt them tonight." Henley scored the first six points. Phoenix finally got on the board when 5-foot-3 freshman Alex Hanscom knocked down a 5-foot jumper with 1:50 remaining in the opening quarter. The Hornets, who have beaten the Pirates twice, went on a 10-0 run before Phoenix scored again. Pirate junior Kat Cox went coast-to-coast after a steal to make it 16-4 with 5:10 to play in the first half. "This game meant a lot to us, and I think we came out a little scared," said Cox, who finished 10 points and 10 rebounds. "We had a big target on our back. "It was ugly. We never really got into it. We’d make a few points and they’d answer. So from this point on, anybody that plays Henley is our friend." It didn’t help much that Phoenix committed eight first-quarter turnovers. But the Henley pressure defense, combined with three Hornets in double figures, made it a one-sided affair from start to finish. Danielle Hunter led all scorers with 13 points. The 5-10 Henley junior also came down with 10 rebounds for a double-double. Katherine Stock scored 11 points and Michelle Klaja 10. "We were pushing the ball down the floor and getting it inside to our post, Megan Sutfin," said Klaja, who also had four rebounds. "But this was the best defense we’ve played all season. We put a lot of pressure on them, and kept it up all the way through." Phoenix drained a couple of 3-pointers to cut the lead to 18-7 in the second quarter, but that was as close as the Pirates would get. They trailed 26-11 at the half and 41-24 after three quarters. "I don’t think we ever got comfortable," said Phoenix coach Kyle Walker, whose team committed 20 turnovers. "Defensively, they put so much pressure on people that you tend to make some mistakes. "You know (Ron) Smith, he’s a track coach, so they’re always in good shape. But we can’t let this effect us. Friday night we go to Murphy to play Hidden Valley, which beat these guys by 11 last week. So we need to take care of business or we can fall back even further." Henley handed Phoenix its only Skyline Conference loss in the first half of the conference schedule. It did the trick again Tuesday by shooting 25 of 51 from the field for 49 percent. The Hornets, who led by as many as 23, were also 10 of 16 from the free-throw line. Phoenix shot just 31 percent from the field, 15 of 48. Cox led the Pirates with 10 points. Jaclyn Unruh came off the bench for six points. HENLEY (59) — Stock 11, Klaja 12, Olliffe 8, Hunter 13, Sutfin, Matchett 5, Schwartz 6. Totals: 24 10-16 59 PHOENIX (34) — Unruh 6, Fry 1, McCarty 5, Cox 10, Meredith 5, Hanscom 7. Totals: 12 4-9 34. Henley....................................... 8 18 15 18 — 59 Phoenix...................................... 2 9 13 10 — 34 3-point goals — Henley 1 (Stock 1), Phoenix 2 (McCarty 1, Hanscom 1). Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search M Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S