Eagle Women Finish Strong, Including ‘Tom Powers Court’ Day Win Over Shasta

After tough losses at Redwoods and Butte in a three-game span, the Eagle women's basketball team won their final three regular season games in a row, including a 72-53 victory that evened the score with Redwoods February 8 in Weed.

They then defeated Shasta at home, 85-60, two days later, on Sophomore Day, when the gym was crowded for the naming celebration of Tom Powers Court.

The Eagles ended their regular season with a 68-35 win at Lassen (0-8 GVC, 1-19) last Wednesday to finish 5-3 and tied for second with Redwoods (11-14 overall) in the Golden Valley Conference. The Eagles are 18-8 overall going into Sunday's state playoff meeting.

Siskiyous received votes for, but was not ranked in the February 19 North Region Top 15 poll, which does include three teams the Eagles beat in the preseason, No. 7 Cosumnes River, No. 10 San Jose, No. 12 Skyline.

Two of Siskiyous' three conference losses were to Butte, which is ranked No. 1 in the state with a 27-1 record and has won 25 games in a row after losing to Mt. San Antonio in overtime in early November. Mt. San Antonio is 24-2 and ranked No. 2 in the state.

The Eagles expect to get a higher postseason ranking than Redwoods because they have the better Total Season Ratings Percentage Index. The Eagles' .553 TSRPI is 23rd best in the state, while Redwoods is tied for 38th at .523. Among unranked teams in the state's Top 25, the Eagles have the second best TSRPI. The TSRPI ranks teams based on both win-loss record and strength of schedule.

TEAM RESPONDED AFTER LOSSES

Coach Noelle Collier said she was concerned after the Eagles "didn't play our best" during their 69-65 loss at Redwoods January 24 and 103-53 drubbing at Butte on February 3.

"I told the girls they have to make a choice," Collier said. "They answered that, and we're hoping we can continue that momentum in the playoffs."

The key win down the stretch was beating Redwoods. The rematch was never close after the Eagles dashed to a 23-10 first quarter lead that grew to 39-22 at half time and 61-40 after three quarters.

Karli Reynolds made 4 three-pointers, 8 of her 13 shots from the field, and led the scoring with 22 points. Alexus Woodard was 8 for 14 on field goal attempts, including one three-pointer, and finished with 18 points. Asia Hendrix was 7 for 11 from the field for her 14 points. Freshman guard Samantha Freitas had 7 points and a team-high 7 assists. Breanne Hands scored 6 points with 5 assists. Freshman Ella Sannar led the team with 6 rebounds, freshman Grace Hubbard had 2 offensive rebounds and 3 total rebounds, and freshman Taylar Minnis had 3 rebounds.

Eagle starters Reynolds, Hands, Freitas, Hendrix, and Woodard combined to make 28 of their 50 field goal attempts (56 percent) and made half of their 12 three-point attempts.

The Eagles' four sophomores, Reynolds, Hands, Hendrix, and Woodard were wearing t-shirts celebrating the naming of Tom Powers Court when they were recognized with their families prior to the Shasta game. They were again wearing those shirts when they gathered for a photo with Powers at the end of the day.

Collier said there was extra pressure on her players because of the "good rivalry" with Shasta, the "alumni energy" in the gym, and the need to win to stay in second place and improve their postseason position.

Shasta, she said, plays a more structured style of basketball than Redwoods and gave the Eagles different matchup problems.

The Eagles held a slim 23-20 after the first quarter, then pulled away. They outscored the Knights 17-6 in the second quarter and 36-12 in the third quarter to expand the lead to 76-38.

"The girls stepped up," Collier said. They made 15 of 17 free throw attempts, grabbed 20 offensive rebounds, and had 19 steals.

Reynolds scored 15 points, Woodard 14, Freitas 14, Hands 13, Hendrix 7, Sannar 6, Hubbard 6, Minnis 4, Trinity Gibson 3, Tatum Allen 2, and Abigail Escobedo 1.

Reynolds had 2 offensive rebounds, 7 total rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals.

Hendrix had 6 offensive rebounds, 9 total rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.

Hands had 7 assists, 3 steals, and 4 of her 5 rebounds were on offense.

Woodard had 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals.

Freitas had 5 steals, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds.

Allen had 4 rebounds, a steal, and blocked a shot.

Hubbard had 4 offensive rebounds, Sannar had 3 rebounds, Gibson had 2 rebounds and a steal, Bailey Branson had 3 rebounds and an assist.

GREAT DAY TO CELEBRATE HALL OF FAME COACH

"What a great day that was," said Collier, whose history with the Eagles' Hall of Fame coach dates to her days as a kid, the youngest of four sisters from Yreka who attended the summer basketball camps Powers led for many years.

She then worked as a counselor at the camps, was all-conference and 3rd team all-state as a player for Powers in 2002-04 and was Powers' assistant coach from 2012 until his retirement in 2020. She then was hired as head coach.

At the camps, "Tom helped you fall in love with basketball," Collier said. "He was fun and funny and helped you get better. The camp touched so many people. Twenty coaches would come and help."

Powers began his head coaching career at COS in 1981, coaching both the men's and women's basketball teams for several years before narrowing his focus to the women's program. His Eagle basketball teams won 18 conference championships and more than 900 games. He also won more than 150 games as the volleyball coach.

Collier encouraged athletic director Charlie Roche to name the court for Powers and expressed appreciation that "he made it happen. Tom deserves it for sure. Tom has spent more hours in that gym than anybody." She also appreciates the effort Roche and athletic coordinator Kevin Bradford II put in to make the court naming celebration "really special," including a wall in the lobby covered with Eagle team photos from throughout Powers' career.

Collier said it was special for her players to see and meet many former coaches and former players who came for the celebration, which was held during half time of the men's game. "Everybody understood this doesn't happen every day."

Among the former players in attendance were Karli Reynolds' mother, Cookie, and Grace Hubbard's mother, Glenda.

"What a great night and wonderful, well deserved tribute to a great human who has touched 1,000s of lives in the last 40+ years," former player Noelle DeBortoli posted on the College of the Siskiyous Women's Basketball Facebook page. "I am blessed to be a part of the journey!! SCREAMIN' EAGLE for life!!"

By Steve Gerace