Eagle women to play at home after GVC rout

After a disappointing conference-opening loss at Shasta, the Eagle women bounced back in a big way, routing Lassen, 92-55, Friday evening in Susanville.

It was never close after the Eagles hit 8 three-point shots in the first quarter to take a 35-18 lead. They led 52-34 at the half, then all but put It away with a 19-8 third-quarter run.

Guard Breanna Hands led the Eagles' scoring for the second game in a row with 21 points, including three of their 16 three-pointers. "She's coming on, shooting really well," head coach Noelle Collier said of the freshman from Yreka. "That was a high point for sure."

Sophomore guard Jazmyne Wells was on target from long distance at Lassen, sinking 5 threes on the way to 19 points. Sophomore guard Halliday Hubbard made 3 threes and scored 13 points, while sophomore Kayana Woodard and freshman Asia Hendrix scored 9 each, Teya Amidei 7, Karli Reynolds 5, Lani Jackson 5, and Megan Bennett 2.

The Lassen game was originally scheduled for Jan. 7 but postponed because of a snowstorm that day. After playing 17 of their first 18 games on the road, the Eagles will return home with a 14-4 record to face Butte (16-3, 1-1 GVC) Wednesday at 7 p.m. They'll also be home against Feather River (13-5 and 2-1) Saturday at 3 p.m.

No GVC team finished the week undefeated in conference play. Shasta and Feather River were both 2-1, Siskiyous, Butte and Redwoods were 1-1, and Lassen was 0-2.

Shasta had a 7-10 pre-season record but beat some good teams, according to Collier. The Eagles had an 11-point lead late in the second quarter against the Knights, but it was cut to 5 at the half, 33-28. Then the Eagles only scored 8 points in the third quarter and fell behind, 44-41.

Collier said her team had the ball trailing by 2 points with 5.3 seconds on the clock, but turned it over. Only 1.1 second remained when they got the ball back after a travel call against Shasta.

"We were a little flat from the two-week break," Collier said. "Looking at the stats, it's not like Shasta shot well… It was disappointing, but I'm happy with how we did at Lassen, and so far everybody (in the GVC) is beating each other."

Hands, the only Eagle to score in double digits at Shasta, made 6 of her 9 three-point attempts that night and finished with 24 points and 8 rebounds.

Wells and Woodard scored 9 each, Bennett scored 7 and led the Eagles with 10 rebounds, and Hubbard had 8 points, 8 rebounds and a team-high 11 assists.

By Steve Gerace