From Deseret News archives:
High school girls basketball: Rams figure things out in win over Colts
"We had a big pow-wow where we tried to figure some things out," said Bohney after the Rams earned a critical region win over Cottonwood 57-43 Tuesday. "We talked and talked ... They were mental mush."
Back-to-back losses to Olympus and Murray and allowing Granger to take them to overtime last week frustrated both coach and players.
"They came in focused and ready to play tonight," Bohney said. "They played with composure. Basketball is about runs and they held them when (Cottonwood) had theirs and then they came back with some runs of their own."
The Rams (4-2) were even able to withstand a full-court press from the Colts (3-3) in the second half of the game. The pressure did force a few mistakes, which the Colts were able to capitalize on at times. But the Rams ability to drive to the basket also meant more free-throw opportunities, especially for senior guard Mixsa Kafi. She hit a 3-point shot in the fourth quarter, but the rest of her six fourth quarter points came from the foul line. Cottonwood's Erika Nash and Angie Schwartz came up with some steals, which kept the game within reach for Cottonwood until mid-way through the fourth quarter.
Fetti Fakailoatonga led the Colts with 11 points. Schwartz added nine points, while McKenna Tait, Erika Nash and McKenzie Anderson each scored seven points.
For Highland, Chanel Roe led the way with 23 points. Cristobel Faka'osi added nine points, while Mixsa Kafi added 10 points and Beauty Taukalau finished with eight points.
In addition to some introspection, Bohney credited her three senior captains — Cristobel Faka'osi, Chanel Roe and Mixsa Kafi — with steering the team in the right direction.
"We've had to battle the last three or four games," Bohney said. "The pressure and expectation definitely went to our heads ... I think those three really got the team back together."
The captains said most of what they did was remind their teammates who they really are, and not who everyone else thinks they are.
"We were all sick of losing," said Faka'osi. "We knew the talent we had. We just had to step up our game. There was too much expectations ... We thought we had it. Now it's reality check."
They said their coach asked them not to T-H-I-N-K.
"And then we had to think about that," Faka'osi said laughing.
Kafi said the discussion and subsequent transformation were "intense."
"Today we just played at our level," she said. "We just need to play our best."
Roe said the captains started the turnaround with a simple session of watching film on Saturday.
"We just watched film with no coaches," Roe said. "We paused the tape and made suggestions ... Everyone responded very well. I think reality set in, but it came a little late."
She said she was anxious about Tuesday's game, but proud of how her teammates held off Cottonwood's attempts to get back in the game.
"It was a stress reliever not to have it be so close or overtime," Roe said. "I think it's better for us not to think too much."
E-mail: adonaldson@desnews.com
