Coyotes get tune-up victory

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune

Madera’s Lilly Smith drives baseline against Firebaugh. She scored 10 points to help led Madera to a 62-9 victory over the Eagles on Friday.

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The Madera Coyotes girls basketball finally got in a game to get ready for the beginning of the County/Metro Athletic Conference schedule this week.

Off since playing in the Reedley Tournament before New Year’s, the Coyotes had a game Wednesday cancelled, thus needed a game before league begins this week. Firebaugh had an opening on the schedule and the Coyotes took full advantage of getting work in before league.

The Coyotes forced a running fourth quarter clock and ran away with a 62-9 victory Friday in Joe Flores Gym.

The Coyotes had four players score in double-figures, led by Aaliyah String wth 15 points. Lilly Smith, Rhynne Mitchell and Eliana Jaramillo each scored 10 points.

The Coyotes shared the ball well, combining for nine assists. They also forced 37 turnovers with 24 steals, led by Jaramillo’s seven.

String and Brooke Houghton each had eight rebounds and four steals while every player scored for the Coyotes.

The Coyotes scored the first 15 points of the game before Firebaugh got on the scoreboard with two minutes left in the first quarter.

Jania Warren started the scoring with a layup from Mitchell. Jaramillo turned a steal into a layup. Then, Smith came up with a steal and drained a 3-pointer.

After a Jaramillo steal, String converted a 3-point play. Then, another Jaramillo steal led to a String layup.

Smith drained another 3-pointer for a 15-0 lead before the Eagles could respond. After Firebaugh hit a 3-pointer, Warren found Breann West for a layup. Then, Smith found Mitchell, after a rebound, for another layup. Firebaugh put back a miss for a 19-5 Coyote lead at the end of the first quarter.

String opened the second quarter with an offensive putback. After Firebaugh scored on a layup, neither team scored for three minutes and Firebaugh didn’t score for the rest of the half.

Jaramillo stopped the drought with a layup off a String assists. After a Jaramillo free throw, Ashley Hernandez found Houghton for a layup.

Mitchell made a free throw and String scored down low. Smith hit a 15-foot jumper while Mitchell added a free throw. String sank two free throws with one-tenth of a second left in the half for a 34-7 lead.

The Coyotes scored the first eight points of the second half. String pulled down a rebound and fed Mitchell for a layup. Then, Mitchell found Houghton for another layup. Houghton went coast-to-coast after a rebound for a layup. Warren closed the run with a pair of free throws for a 42-7 lead.

Firebaugh made a layup, but the Coyotes closed the quarter with 12 straight points and held the Eagles without a point for the rest of the game.

Warren found String for a layup to start another run. Jaramillo made a layup after bringing down a rebound. String picked up a steal and made a layup.

Jaramillo drained a 3-pointer after pulling down an offensive rebound. Hernandez picked up a steal and made a layup. Warren sank a free throw for a 54-9 lead at the end of the third quarter.

With a running clock in the fourth quarter, the Coyotes outscored the Eagles 8-0. Mitchell opened the scoring with a layup. Hernandez found Houghton for a layup. Mitchell sank two free throws and Warren found Smith for a layup and the 62-9 victory.