Coyotes can’t find rhythm in loss to Fresno Warriors

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune

Madera’s Brooke Hougton drives the line during Tuesday’s game against the Fresno Warriors. She scored the first points of the game in a 43-24 loss to Fresno.

The Madera Coyotes girls basketball team couldn’t get anything going in a 43-24 loss to the Fresno Warriors in Joe Flores Gym.

The Coyotes were limited to just one point in the third quarter and didn’t have a player score more than six points.

“We weren’t prepared to play,” head coach Jason Smith said. “They are going through something, right now. There’s been some illness. We were scatterbrained.”

Fresno’s Remni White got hot in the third quarter and scored almost as many points as the Coyotes (23). She hit five 3-pointers, including four during a 16-point third quarter.

“We recognized their best player and she hit too many 3-pointers tonight,” Smith said. “We talked about before the game, the keys. They were winning the turnover battle and controlling the boards. They crushed us in both. We got killed on the boards and turned the ball over a lot.”

Madera committed 26 turnovers, including 23 in the first three quarters while scoring just 16 points and allowing 38. They also were 8-of-38 from the field for 21 percent. They only made three field goals in the second half.

Eliana Jaramillo led the Coyotes with six points on a pair of 3-pointers. Rhynne Mitchell scored five points in her first start of the season.

The Coyotes jumped out to an early 4-0 lead behind a Brooke Houghton offensive putback and two Lilly Smith free throws. Fresno scored the next six points.

Mitchell made a free throw and Janiah Warren made a bucket for a 7-6 Coyote lead at the end of the first quarter.

Jaramillo gave the Coyotes a four-point lead with a 3-pointer to open the second quarter scoring.

The Warriors scored the next six points with a pair of offensive putbacks and a 3-pointer for a 13-10 lead.

Mitchell hit a 3-pointer to tie the score at 13, but that was the last time Madera was competitive for the rest of the game.

The Warriors hit a jumper and a 3-pointer for a five-point lead. Smith hit a seven foot floater, but the Warriors got two free throws for a 20-15 lead at the half.

Fresno opened the second half with a layup, and then White got hot. She hit a 3-pointer for a 12-2 run. After a Mitchell free throw, White hit three 3-pointers to jump out to 34-16 lead. A White lay-up and a pull-up jumper gave the Warriors a 25-3 run and a 22-point third quarter lead.

The Warriors extended the lead to 24 with a fourth quarter bucket.

Aaliyah String completed a 3-point play for a Madera highlight. The Warriors scored three points for a 43-19 lead.

Warren hit a turnaround 15-footer and Jaramillo hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead inside 20 at the end of the game.