GBB 2011-12-05 vs Squalicum

All three girls teams broke into the win column Monday night against the Squalicum storm, but it wasn't easy.

The freshman teams played close in the first quarter, with OH behind 12-10 then took a 18-16 lead into the locker room at halftime. In the 3rd period, the defense played tough, shutting out the Storm while the offense scored 6, putting OH up 24-16. Defense was still the name of the OH game in the final quarter, but the offense wasn't quiet either. Oh scored 10 points while allowing only 4 to win going away, 34-20. Brook Peplinski and Angelica Brown tied for scoring honors with 10 points each. Kenna Prosch and Irene Gribble scored 5 each, Tierra White 3 and Jessica Hollins 1.

The JV game was also close early, with OH leading 7-6 at the first break. Slowly but surely our girls increased their lead and in the end won 26-17. Liz Lym led the team's scoring with 9 points, Natalie Fiallos added 5, Melanie Callaway 4, Jamie Estrella, Danielle Teasley and Cassidy Gurich 2 each and KC Winfield and Hayley Lundstrom 1 each.

For the varsity, most of the game was a struggle. Squalicum scored first on a 3-pointer, and led 8-2 halfway through the first period. with 3:29 left, Dominique Jackson, with the shot clock running down, launched the ball from outside the arc and swished it to make it 8-5, but Squalicum scored a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute and led 14-6. Early in the second quarter, OH found themselves down 21-6, but cut the gap to 10 points at halftime, 27-17.

The second half much better for the Wildcats. Halfway through the 3rd period they cut the lead to just 4 points, but the Storm was able to regain some and led 33-27 at the start of the 4th. Two points by Jackson made it a 1-point game, 34-35, then Ciera Wiser scored with 5:05 to give Oak Harbor their first lead of the game. With one minute left, Wiser scored again to regain the lead 40-38, but a Squalicum 3-pointer made it 40-41 for the Storm. With 5 seconds left, Coach Clayville called a timeout and drew up a play. The Wildcats inbounded the ball to sharp shooting Annie Leete to launched from behind the line. Her shot bounced off the rim, but Kelsey Rankin was right there, grabbed the rebound and put it up for a score with 2 seconds left. Squalicum wasn't able to score after than and OH won 42-41.

Leete led the OH scoring with 12 points, Dominique Jackson had 9, Ciera Wiser 8, Marissa Lewis 4, Rayan Russell and Rankin 3, Jalani Bobo 2 and Morgan Young 1.

The girls open league play tonight, Wednesday, at OHHS vs Shorecrest.

Video clips, including Kelsey Rankin's last-second putback and DJ Jackson's 3-pointer, are HERE.

Photos of the Freshmen, JV and Varsity squads are posted HERE.