Coal Ridge girls fall to Basalt

PEACH VALLEY — Coal Ridge was patient, executing its offense and finding open cutters or jump shots. The effort was enough to match the 8-0 Class 3A Western Slope League Longhorns in the first half, but then Basalt proved why it is ranked No. 1 in the state as it went on to beat the Coal Ridge girls 58-40 on Friday night.

The Titans were only down 14-12 at the end of the first quarter. They limited their turnovers and created enough of their own to trade points with the Longhorns.

It was a much different game from the teams’ earlier match-up when Basalt won 61-30.

“The first time we gave up a lot of layups in transition,” said Coal Ridge coach Rick Schmitz. “We did a lot better with that, they still got a couple, but we did a great job of making them play a half-court offense.”

Coal Ridge stuck to its game plan in the second quarter and it worked fairly well as Basalt was up only 24-19 at half.

“We turned the ball over a lot, we didn’t run the floor,” said Basalt coach Carolyn Compton. “I am not trying to take anything away from Coal Ridge but this isn’t typically how we play and it isn’t how we should be playing at this point in the season.”

Then Basalt went on a stealing spree to start the second half, taking the ball away from Coal Ridge and running and gunning down the court for quick layups.

With Dane Toney and Katherine Fitzpatrick attacking the basket and Alia Munger, Emily Peetz and Hailey Guglielmo each hitting 3-pointers in the second half, the Longhorns found their offense the final two quarters. Outscoring the Titans 13-8 in the third quarter, Basalt took a 10-point lead going into the final frame. Despite Morgan Jessup’s on-target jumpers, the Titans couldn’t come back.

Three Longhorns hit double digits with Toney and Fitzpatrick each finishing with 14 and Guglielmo adding 10.

Jessup finished with 13 to lead Coal Ridge, while Brianna Rhodes and Tori Verdieck each scored six. The Titans fell to 5-4 in league and 9-5 overall, but Schmitz is happy with how the team is coming along.

“We have improved in both defense and offense,” he said. “We have got to continue to do the little things to make the bigger things happen. And we’ve got to take care of the ball — that is the biggest thing offensively.”

Coal Ridge will be on the road today to face Hotchkiss, while Basalt (9-0 WSL, 13-1 overall) will host Roaring Fork in its regular season home finale.