White Pine girls proving they belong among Class 2A brass
Few teams in the playoff bracket in Class 2A Southern League girls basketball need much of an introduction.
Defending state champion Needles (25-0) boasts the No. 1 seed. Lincoln County (19-7), last year’s league tourney winner, sits in the third spot. Fourth-seeded West Wendover (15-10) boasts a future Division I player in UNR signee Danika Sharp.
Then there is White Pine (22-4), which had to prove all season it belongs in the group. And the Bobcats might not be done proving their worth.
“They’re proud of their record,” White Pine coach Jeff Cramer said, “but I don’t think it would be a complete season unless we get to state.”
The Bobcats will get that chance Friday, when they play the rival Lynx at 3 p.m. at Desert Oasis for a trip to the league tourney title game. Both finalists clinch a spot in the state tournament.
White Pine reached the playoffs last season, but finished 9-5 in league play and was bounced from the semifinals with a 49-44 loss to top-seeded Needles. But the Bobcats were in the game until the end, when they were outscored 7-3 in the final 40 seconds.
Cramer said that game helped spur the Bobcats into this season. They rode the momentum to an 11-3 league record, including a confidence-building 58-55 win over Lincoln County on Jan. 30.
“Beating them gave our girls a boost as far as confidence,” Cramer said. “We played really good defense.”
Defense is the area the second-year head coach noticed his team has improved the most since last season.
“That’s what we really concentrate on,” he said. “We score a lot of points in transition.”
Alex Hall had a productive season for the Bobcats last year.
This season, the junior forward has emerged as one of the top players in the state. She leads White Pine in points (14.4) and rebounds (12.6) per game.
“She’s had a really good year,” Cramer said. “She’s a junior, but one of our leaders on the court. She just leads by example.”
The Bobcats also get a boost from senior forward Samantha Hibbs, who averages 5.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.
The duo has given White Pine an inside presence on both ends of the court.
“It’s a real strength for us,” Cramer said of his front line. “It’s where most of our offense will start. We use that inside movement to kick it back outside; we always start on the inside.”
It’s a strength Cramer hopes is a factor against Lincoln County, which is led by senior forward Marissa Smerek (18.2 ppg).
“I always look forward to playing Lincoln,” Cramer said. “It’s just fun to play them; the kids know each other. We look forward to it.”
