LADY BRUINS DROP HILLGALS - WIN CHAMPIONSHIP

Speed kills a larger slower team especially when the larger team tries to speed up the game and run which played into the hands of the smaller team. That was a tough lesson for the 9-1 Placer Hilgals as they fell in their own gym on Saturday when playing the Bear River Lady Bruins in the Championship game at the Coach G Memorial tournament as they fell 58-55.

Placer ran out to 16-6 lead as Bear river failed to protect the ball.

The second quarter was a significant change for both teams as the Bruins found a way to get the ball to their leading scorer Kaitlyn Reina who knotted the game and Cindy Solomon knocked down three 3-point shots for the Bruins as they moved into the lead.

Bear River extended the lead by breaking the Placer press which resulted in many easy looks at the rim.

Late in the fourth the Hillgal's coach put a smaller team on the court which gave an advantage to Placer as they cut the lead inside 10 points. Placer missed two consecutive front ends of 1-1 fouls shots while trailing by 4 points while the Bruins went 3-for-4 during the same period. Placer hit a 3-point shot with 3-seconds on the clock to pull within 3 points.

Placer's coach played more girls on the night but he often went to the bench in platoon style fashion which resulted in limited speed and poor perimeter defense. The Bruins are fast with many athletes who are interchangeable.

The Pioneer Valley League looks to be in the hands of the Bruins as they defeated a touch Placer team on their own floor without one of their top outside shooters senior Savannah Welz for the second consecutive night.