Girls basketball: Outlaws dump Irrigon in oft-delayed match

Published 11:30 pm Monday, January 22, 2024

ENTERPRISE — After numerous postponements, the Enterprise girls’ basketball team finally hosted the Lady Knights of Irrigon for a 2A Blue Mountain Conference game on Monday, Jan. 22 with the Outlaws taking a 43-31 victory.

“This was a physical game for us and it took us until the second quarter to adjust,” said Enterprise coach Dan Butterfield.

Like most games, Butterfield saw both the good and bad in the victory. While the field goal percentage for the Lady Outlaws was down, Enterprise upped its  shooting from the free throw line to 71%.

After scoring only five points in the first quarter, Enterprise came alive in the second with 15 points. An 11-point third quarter carried the Outlaws into the fourth quarter and the win.

In the game, Enterprise saw 15 points from Alex Rowley to lead the Outlaws. Nevaeh James chipped in 10 points and Kimber Stein finished the game with eight points.

Enterprise (11-6 overall, 4-0 2A Blue Mountain Conference) will have the chance to grab another win over the Knights with a trip to Irrigon on Friday, Jan. 26 for the team’s next scheduled game. That game is scheduled for 6 p.m..

Then the Outlaws return home on Saturday, Jan. 27 for the first of four straight home games. On Saturday, the Outlaws face Grant Union with tipoff scheduled for 4 p.m.

Joseph splits two

The Joseph Eagles suffered their first conference loss on Friday, Jan. 19, with a 52-15 drubbing at home against Powder Valley.

But the Eagles enjoyed considerably better shooting on Thursday, Jan. 18, when the team journeyed to Imbler and came away with a 39-32 win. The Eagles sank six three-pointers in the first half.

“Joseph shot the ball well and we struggled to get going, missing a lot of good looks at the rim,” said Imbler coach Darci Sweet of the Panthers’ first league loss.

The Lady Panthers did manage to come back in the second half, knotting up the game early in the fourth quarter, but the visiting Eagles rallied for the win.

Joseph saw Caleigh Johnson put in 15 points to lead the Eagles; Aimee Myers added seven points for Joseph.

The Eagles, now 8-9 overall and 4-1 in 1A Old Oregon League play, have a pair of home games scheduled for Friday, Jan. 26 and Saturday, Jan. 27. On Friday, the Eagles host county rival Wallowa at 6 p.m. On Saturday, Joseph faces off against Pine Eagle; that game begins at 4 p.m.

Wallowa wins one, loses one

The Wallowa girls claimed a lopsided 46-18 victory on the road against Cove on Friday, Jan. 19, but Powder Valley ended the Lady Cougars’ weekend on a sour note with a 44-26 defeat on the Badgers’ home court on Saturday, Jan. 20.

A slow start offensively against the Badgers doomed Wallowa, as the team generated just four points in the first half.

For Wallowa, Abby Straight led all scorers with 13 points.

Wallowa (11-7 overall, 2-3 1A Old Oregon League) hits the road this weekend for a pair of big games: On Friday, Jan. 26, the Lady Cougars travel to Joseph with an eye on avenging an earlier-season loss. That game starts at 6 p.m.

On Saturday, Jan. 27, Wallowa travels to Imbler for a game at 4 p.m.