The Philomath High School girls basketball team opened its season Saturday night on the road with a hard-fought 48-42 victory over Junction City.
“It was a tough road game to start the season,” PHS coach Ben Silva said. “Found some things on both ends of the floor that we can work on. Overall we finished out strong and it’s great to get a win to start the season.”
Senior Sage Kramer, who missed significant time in preseason drills, appeared to be in midseason form with 29 points on 11 field goals and 4 of 6 free throws. Junior Abigail Brown finished with nine points on three baskets and 3 of 5 free throws. Senior Reagan Larson added eight points with two 3-pointers and a couple of foul shots.
“Sage played fantastic and was able to score in multiple ways,” Silva said. “Abigail had some nice finishes and Reagan hit some timely 3s.”
Philomath held a slim 25-23 lead at halftime and by the end of the third quarter had gone up by six. But the Tigers stayed close with a fight that continued until the end.
With time in the fourth growing short, Kramer buried a long 2 out of a Philomath timeout to give the team a 44-40 lead. Junction City’s Molly Nelson responded with a hoop to cut the home team’s deficit to two.
As it turned out, that would be Junction City’s final points of the night.
The two teams traded miscues — Philomath turned the ball over and then Junction City threw up an air ball that went out of bounds. With the Warriors again in possession, Brown went for the hoop and scored while drawing a foul. She wasn’t able to hit the free throw but Philomath had a little breathing room at 46-42.
The two teams went back and forth with no points scored, both teams failing to execute at the foul line until Kramer sank two free throws in the final seconds to put the Warriors up, 48-42.
As the first week of action comes to an end in the Oregon West Conference, every team has already notched at least one win. Cascade is off to a 2-0 start while Philomath, Newport, Stayton and Woodburn are 1-0.
The Warriors will play their home opener at 7 p.m. Tuesday with a visit from Class 5A Silverton. The Foxes (0-2) lost a tough one in their opener to Jesuit, 53-51, and then dropped a 17-point decision on Friday at Tualatin.
Philomath 48, Junction City 42
Saturday, Dec. 4, at Junction City HS
TEAMS (RECORDS) 1 2 3 4 FINAL Philomath (1-0) 14 11 10 13 48 Junction City (1-1) 13 10 6 13 42 PHILOMATH FG FT-FTA PF TP 1 K Bacho# 0 0-0 3 0 15 Sage Kramer# 11 4-6 4 29 32 Abigail Brown# 3 3-5 1 9 33 Hailie Couture# 1 0-1 2 2 45 Reagan Larson# 2 2-2 2 8 3 Mia Bennett 0 0-0 2 0 13 Ingrid Hellesto 0 0-0 0 0 23 Cassidy Lewis 0 0-0 0 0 TOTALS 17 9-14 14 48 # Starter JUNCTION CITY FG FT-FTA PF TP 1 Faith Marshall# 3 0-0 4 6 2 Brenna Wilson# 0 0-0 0 0 12 Cienna Hartle# 4 1-2 1 12 20 Adiana Taylor# 0 1-2 2 1 24 Ashlynn Long# 2 2-2 4 8 5 Molly Nelson 3 5-5 3 12 10 Addison Sangermano 0 0-2 1 0 21 Kendra Evans 0 0-0 0 0 4 Kaylee Glazier 1 0-0 0 3 TOTALS 13 9-13 15 42 # Starter 3-Point Goals: Philomath 5 (Kramer 3, Larson 2), Junction City 6 (Hartle 3, Long 2, Nelson)
Fouled Out: None
Total Fouls: Philomath 14, Junction City 15
Technicals: None
JUNIOR VARSITY
Philomath 50, Junction City 18
Saturday, Dec. 4, at Junction City HS
TEAMS 1 2 3 4 FINAL Philomath 9 13 16 12 50 Junction City 5 8 5 0 18 JV GAME NOTES Philomath’s JV opens with the rout on the road. … Sophomore Clara Stanley scored 13 points on six field goals and a free throw in three quarters of play. … Sophomore Ahnika Tyron tossed in 11 points on three field goals and 5 of 6 free throws. … Leading by single digits at halftime, Philomath pulled away for good with a strong third quarter. … Philomath went made 12 of 15 free throws, including 10 of 12 in the second half. … Junction City managed just two field goals in the second half — both in the third quarter. … The JV team plays next on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at home against Silverton.
JUNIOR VARSITY 2
JV2 GAME NOTES The JV2 team did not play on Saturday and is scheduled to open its season on Tuesday at 4 p.m. against Silverton.
Conference Standings
(As of Dec. 4)
Oregon West Conference Conf All PF PA Cascade
Newport
Philomath
Stayton
Woodburn
Sisters
Sweet Home0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-02-0
1-0
1-0
1-0
1-0
1-1
1-199
52
48
32
59
90
8770
2
42
21
39
81
77
Wednesday, Dec. 1
Cascade 63, North Marion 37
Sweet Home 39, Elmira 15
Redmond 45, Sisters 41
Thursday, Dec. 2
Sisters 49, Estacada 36
Friday, Dec. 3
Newport 52, Siuslaw 2
Cascade 36, Central 33
Gladstone 62, Sweet Home 48
Stayton 32, Seaside 21
Woodburn 59, Gresham 39
Saturday, Dec. 4
Philomath 48, Junction City 42
Tuesday, Dec. 7
North Marion at Woodburn, 5:30 p.m.
Newport at Harrisburg, 6 p.m.
Silverton at Philomath, 7 p.m.
Stayton at Banks, 7 p.m.
Sweet Home at Molalla, 7 p.m.
Elmira at Sisters, 7 p.m.
Cascade at Marist Catholic, 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 8
Crook County at Sisters, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 9
North Marion at Stayton, 5:30 p.m.
Tillamook at Newport, 7 p.m.
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