Miners must settle for second
NAMPA, Idaho – There was the natural disappointment with losing. But that was quickly replaced by the realization of accomplishment.
Garden Valley slowed down Wallace’s inside game in general and put a muzzle on Lisa Carver in particular in the second half as the Wolverines held off the Miners 54-48 in the State 1A tournament girls basketball championship game Saturday afternoon at the Idaho Center.
Fourth last year in its first trip to state since 1978, junior-laden Wallace finished 24-2 and gladly accepted the runner-up trophy. After all, the Miners had to beat state-final quality teams in Rimrock and defending state champion Shoshone just to advance to the title contest.
“The overall effort for the year, 24-2 and (state) runner-up, it’s been great,” first-year Wallace coach Kirby Krulitz said. “I told them, ‘Next year, if you’re hungry, we can be back here again with what we have coming back.’ “
The game was evenly played through the first half. Krista Williams’ putback gave Wallace a 25-23 lead with 18 seconds remaining before halftime. But with 2 seconds to go, Lexi Renfro regained the lead for GV (24-1) when she hit a 3-pointer.
The Wolverines separated themselves from the Miners with an 11-2 run in the third quarter. Wallace went cold and, unlike the first half, couldn’t connect from inside.
After Wallace junior Carver carved up the Wolverines for 16 points in the first half, GV turned its defensive attention toward her in the final two quarters. Carver’s lone second-half basket came when she hit an 8-footer to pull the Miners within 45-40 with 2:24 to go.
That’s as close as Wallace would get.
Carver, who made 6 of 9 shots in the first half, made just 1 of 7 in the second half. She finished with a game-high 18 points.
Wolverine junior guard Layne Tucker drew the assignment of guarding Carver in the second half.
Usually accurate shooter Cara Hayman, Wallace’s savvy junior point guard, couldn’t find the range either, making just 1 of 12 attempts overall and missing all five of her 3-point attempts. She finished with five points to go with six rebounds, five assists and four steals.
“We didn’t run an offense in certain parts of that game. That cost us the ballgame,” Krulitz said. “We seemed to have lost our legs a little bit. They got caught up in the excitement of it.”
Wallace had to foul in the last third of the fourth quarter, and GV responded, making 18 of 25 free throws for the game.
“It hasn’t even sunk in yet,” GV coach Paula Tucker-Boyd said. “Everyone single one of them stepped up, and they had to – they had to play the best of their life. That’s a quality team they just played. (Wallace) was amazing. They’re a very good team.”
The Miners had opportunities. They outrebounded GV 45-30, including 21 offensive boards.
Many Miners had tear-filled eyes as they left their locker room, but they smiled easily as they pondered their feats.
“We played so hard throughout the whole season that you can’t let one game get you down,” Carver said.