Your future, our focus
The Trapper women went blow-for-blow at home on Feb. 12 against Central Wyoming, only to be done in 71-64 by a lopsided third period.
In the second game of the week, the women of NWC were defeated handily at Casper College 75-42. With their seventh straight loss, the Trappers slipped to 10-17 on the season.
The NWC basketball team led visiting Central Wyoming by one at the first buzzer and by six at halftime, 31-25.
In the first 10 minutes after intermission, however, the Rustlers elbowed their way to the lead behind an 11-point scoring advantage. The fourth period was much closer at just two points, but by then the horse had fled the barn.
Trailing by five as the final quarter began, the Trappers held their deficit right there on an Adela Smutna three with 3:07 left, 62-57.
The plot thickened when Samiyah Worrell charged the basket, hit a layup and was fouled, converting a three the old-fashioned way. That drew Northwest within four, 68-64, with what must have seemed to the Rustlers like a torturously long 36.1 seconds still to play.
The Trappers, unfortunately, still had fouls to give before they could put Central on the line. As Northwest scrambled to give those fouls, the clock leaked away and the Rustlers escaped.
There were two technical fouls in the women’s game and three more in the men’s contest that followed on a rock-em’-sock-‘em, no-love-lost night in Hank Cabre Gym.
Rustler Essy Latu claimed game-high scoring honors with 33. Worrell, Lily Henry and Smutna paced Northwest with 16, 14 and 11.
Scrappy Northwest won the glass in two ways: Of the Rustlers’ 32 team rebounds, nine were offensive second chances under their own bucket. The Trappers nearly doubled that by muscling up for 16 offensive boards in their team total of 38.
Northwest shot 33.9% from the field, including 22.7% from three. The Rusters’ answer was 43.9 and 50%, respectively.
Sophomore Lily Henry claimed a double-double with 11 rebounds to go with her 14 points. Smutna lifted four steals on the night, Worrell was credited with four assists and Northwest’s two shot blocks came from Lily Henry and Riley Aiono.
Only Worrell cracked double figures for scoring in a Saturday matchup against the T-Birds, but her 13 fell far short of saving the Trappers when no teammate netted more than Raquel Turner’s eight.
The Thunderbirds, by contrast, counted four in double-digits led by Natalia Otkhmezuri with 19. Juneau Jones, Marija Bakic and Kammie Ragsdale scorched Northwest for 16, 13 and 10.
Casper helped itself to 11 offensive boards in its total of 37. For the Trappers it was 10 offensive rebounds and 28 overall.
Bakic, Ragsdale and Jones pulled down seven, six and six rebounds for the T-Birds while Jenna Lohrenz led the Trappers with four. Lily Henry stole the ball three times, Smutna and Riley Aiono blocked one shot each.
The Trappers shot 24.5% from all distances, 13.6% from three and 75% at the free throw line. Casper’s corresponding numbers in that order were 50.9, 26.9 and 85.7%.
Northwest is on the road this week, playing at Sheridan College Wednesday and at Western Wyoming in Rock Springs on Saturday to wrap up the regular season. Postseason play in Region IX begins Friday, Feb. 28.
Central — Latu 33, Cotter 15, Ramos 13, Williams 5, Astorga 5.
Northwest — Worrell 16, L. Henry 14, Smutna 11, Turner 8, Tess Henry 6, Melissa Martinez 6, Aiono 2.
Northwest — Worrell 13, Turner 8, Smutna 7, T. Henry 6, Aubrie Stenerson 4, Jenna Lohrenz 2, Aiono 2.
Casper — Otkhmezuri 19, Jones 16, Bakid 13, Ragsdale 10, Jones 9, Tehau 5, Ferrer-Bernad 3.