NAPAVINE — The system hasn’t changed nor has the scheme. Still, players evolve and turn weaknesses into strengths. So even though most of the Napavine High School girls basketball team have played together for numerous years, they’re still figuring things out.
Weird, isn’t it?
“It is weird,” Tigers head coach Shane Schutz said. “There’s this component, because some have gotten better, they’re taking quick shots. We have kids that are still trying to conceptualize what we’re trying to do.
“But, we’re starting to figure it out.”
There wasn’t much to figure out on Wednesday night.
Napavine recorded 30 turnovers, registered 25 points off those turnovers and came away with 18 steals to post a dominant 65-19 thrashing of Tumwater at home in a non-league contest. It marks the fourth time in two seasons the Tigers allowed under 20 points.
And all four instances were against Class 2A opponents.
“Defensively, this is one of our better groups,” Schutz said. “These guys are super athletic. Now, it is just trying to get better in certain areas.”
Hannah Fay only hit two free throws, but her length at the top of Napavine’s defense caused havoc with seven steals. Nicholle Valentine and Sophia Bittner each added three.
With most of the guards back off last year’s third place state team, the intensity has already reached a new level. The Tigers (2-1) forced eight turnovers in the first quarter alone to build a 17-2 lead.
Tumwater didn’t score until 1 minute, 40 seconds left in the frame.
“These girls are learning the new system,” first-year Thunderbirds head coach Dom Hunter said. “Getting this now instead of February or late-January, we’re just happy to learn.”
Schutz felt when the season kicked off that his press defense would be the early-season staple while the offense figures out its identity. They swarmed the ball and forced errant passes by Tumwater’s guards.
A running clock was on by late in the third quarter. After Tumwater scored four straight, the Tigers answered emphatically with 20 consecutive points. Montana recruit Hayden Kaut led the way with 22 and nine boards.
Ava Ondong chipped in 17 off the bench and added seven boards, five on the offensive glass. Taylen Evander added 10 and Bittner recorded 10 points. Napavine will look to continue its high-octane scoring on Thursday versus Montesano.
“We like to shoot (3s) often, but we got to where we’re attacking the hoop and force other teams to defend us,” Schutz said. “We saw some good passes. Each game, we get a little more flow.”
Ondong, a sophomore that played important minutes down the stretch a season ago, recently viewed YouTube clips of the great Dennis Rodman, a motive pushed by Schutz.
“We need a beast inside who is going to rebound,” he said. “I don’t want to have your character like Dennis Rodman; I want your passion for rebounding to be like Dennis Rodman.”
Tumwater’s Kamryn Wilson paced its scoring with eight points while she and four others hauled in at least four rebounds. Both of the T-Birds losses have been to 2B programs by double figures.
Hunter is hopeful with more practice, his group with four seniors can hit its stride by EvCo play. Tumwater will take on another C2BL foe in Adna on Friday.
“Battling adversity is something we’re trying to do, just game-by-game and learning things,” Hunter said. “All we can do is stay together.”
