Arlee Girls BB Recap: Coolin' off Red Devils

ARLEE - Noxon came in last Friday with an impressive 5-1 record,

but left with a 38-33 loss after an energetic Scarlets team pushed

the pace against the Lady Red Devils.

"I think Noxon is a good ballclub," Arlee head coach Richard

Bachmeier said. "We know that we have to play good ball against

them."

ARLEE - Noxon came in last Friday with an impressive 5-1 record, but left with a 38-33 loss after an energetic Scarlets team pushed the pace against the Lady Red Devils.

"I think Noxon is a good ballclub," Arlee head coach Richard Bachmeier said. "We know that we have to play good ball against them."

That is exactly what they did. Bachmeier put his team into a man defense against the Lady Red Devils and the Scarlets did a good job keeping Noxon's players in front of them. They also limited one of Noxon's scorers, Jordyn Wilkinson, to just two points. After falling behind 10-6 in the first quarter, Arlee held the Lady Red Devils to four points in the second while going on an 8-0 run to take the 15-14 lead into halftime.

Arlee led 27-24 after the third quarter, but at the start of the fourth, the Scarlets went on a 7-2 run and never looked back from there.

"We got a few crucial steals that made the difference," Richard Bachmeier said. "We were also solid from the foul line, shooting 8-for-12."

Arlee got another impressive scoring performance from Mahalia Hendren, who notched 15 points.

"She is a real solid basketball player," Bachmeier said. "She rebounds well and she shoots well. She leads the team in both categories and she's probably one of the toughest players out there."

The Scarlets got 13 points from human sparkplug and fast-break machine Whitney Malatare.

"She was aggressive on defense and ran with the ball," Bachmeier said. "She made some transition buckets and she's really coming along."

Bachmeier said he was also impressed with his team's bench play and the way they're able to continue the momentum when subbed into the game. Tayla Desjarlais, Jenna Pablo, Violet Pablo, Skyla Perry and Bailey Rice are provided the needed extra boost against Noxon.

"They're giving us some good minutes and that could be crucial down the line," Bachmeier said.

Arlee is now 2-1 in the district, and 2-5 overall. Bachmeier said that the bulk of his team's losses came against an tough early season schedule.

"I think those teams that beat us are a combined 21-2," Bachmeier said. "We're getting better, I think we're getting the pieces put together."

The Scarlets have another tough test, playing on the road at Charlo on Thursday and then Hot Springs on Friday.

"Charlo will be a big test," Bachmeier said. "It is kind of a yard stick. If we play well we have a shot at them."

NOXON @ ARLEE

Noxon - 10 - 4 - 10 - 9 - 33

Arlee - 6 - 9 - 12 - 11 - 38

Scarlets scoring - Tiffany O'Neill 2, Tayla Desjarlais 3, Whitney Malatare 13, Alexis Shick 2, Skyla Perry 2, Jenna Pablo 1, Mahalia Hendren 15