Coyotes win sloppy game against Sunnyside
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Madera’s Rhynne Mitchell goes up for a layup to score two of her 14 points in a 36-28 victory over Sunnyside on Friday in Joe Flores Gym. She also had seven steals.
Eighty turnovers were recorded and the Madera Coyotes girls basketball team made the less of them to be able to record a
36-28 victory over the Sunnyside-Fresno Wildcats in Joe Flores Gym.
The Coyotes committed 31 turnovers, but the Wildcats committed 49 in the losing effort.
“Sunnyside wanted to make it a sloppy game and we played right into their hands and made it as sloppy as we could,” head coach Jason Smith said. “I don’t have enough time out to call to settle them down.”
Brooke Houghton led the team with 15 points to go with eight rebounds and three steals. Rhynne Mitchell added 14 points with seven steals. However only three other players scored for the Coyotes.
“Brooke made her free throws down the stretch. She drove to the basket and made some strong buckets,” Smith said.
The Coyotes also forced 22 steals and pulled down 21 offensive rebounds. However, they only shot 43 percent (10-of-23) from the free throw line.
“Our half-court trap looked really good,” Smith said. “However, we stopped rotating and they got by us. We just have to continue to grow. We’re a young team and inexperienced. Most of them haven’t played varsity before. We knew there were going to growing pains this year and that’s what we’re experiencing.”
The Coyotes got on the scoreboard first after Houghton pulled down an offensive rebound and Lilly Smith hit a jumper.
After a pair of Sunnyside free throws tied the score, Houghton began a mini-Coyote run with a free throw.
Mitchell turned a steal into a layup. She picked up another steal and fed Ashley Hernandez for a layup and a 7-2 lead.
Mitchell put back a miss, and was fouled, for two more points, but missed the free throw. Another Mitchell steal and layup gave the Coyotes a 9-0 run and an 11-2 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Wildcats came back with five straight points to cut the lead to four. Mitchell hit a pair of free throws for a 13-7 lead.
An Eliana Jaramillo rebound led to a breakout for Mitchell, who laid it in for an eight-point lead.
The Wildcats put back a miss and sank a free throw to get within five.
Houghton put back a miss for a seven-point lead. After Sunnyside made a pair of free throws, Janiah Warren went 1-for-2 at the line for an 18-12 lead at the half.
It took the teams two-and-a-half minutes to score in the second half. Houghton made a free throw with 5:24 left in the third for a 10-12 lead. Madera missed four shots to open the half and couldn’t take advantage of five Sunnyside turnovers.
Sunnyside was fouled on a 3-point attempt and made all three free throws. Houghton answered with a driving layup for the first field goal of the the third quarter near the midway mark.
Sunnyside hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to three.
Houghton followed with a free throw and Smith made a driving bucket for a six-point lead. Houghton drove to the bucket for a layup and made another layup off a Hernandez steal to open the lead to 28-18 at the end of the third quarter.
Sunnyside opened the fourth quarter with three free throws and a 3-pointer to cut the Coyotes’ lead to 28-24.
Houghton stopped the run by putting back a miss, but Sunnyside turned a Madera turnover into a bucket.
Houghton made a pair of free throws for a six-point lead. Madera couldn’t extend its lead because they turned the ball over on three straight possessions.
Mitchell stopped the drought with a free throw and a jumper for a nine-point lead.
The Wildcats cut the lead to seven with a minute to play after two free throws.
A Coyote turnover gave the ball to Sunnyside, but Mitchell made another steal. After a Coyotes’ missed shot, Sunnyside turned the ball over and Mitchell sank a free throw for the 36-28 final score.
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