Web posted
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Ark City girls still in mix for home playoff game
|
Photo by Donita Clausen
click image to enlarge
|
By DAVID WOLMAN
Traveler Sports Editor
sports@arkcity.net
Even with the many valleys the Arkansas City girls basketball team has found itself in this season, the Bulldogs are still locked in a close race for a home playoff game.
Ark City (3-9) sits one game behind Valley Center (4-8) for the fourth seed in the region -- the final home playoff spot. Bishop Carroll (10-2) and Emporia (11-2) -- the top-ranked teams in Class 5A, respectively -- are running away with the top two seeds in the eight-team region.
With Winfield (3-10) and Topeka-West (2-10) tailing the Bulldogs, it's creating a logjam for the middle seeds. And Ark City coach Bill Stinson knows how important the last month of the season, including a stretch over the next week in which his team plays Winfield twice -- tonight at Winfield and next Tuesday at home.
"We're all right there for the fourth, fifth and sixth seeds," Stinson said. "Obviously, when you're playing as a fourth or fifth seed, you have a much better chance of winning the playoff game. You drop to that sixth or seventh seed, you play a better team. Each of these games are very important, just because of seeding."
Ark City and Winfield enter tonight's game on different streaks. The Vikings broke a nine-game losing streak on Saturday with a 39-37 win over Clay Center, while the Bulldogs are 2-2 in their last four games.
Ark City's focus will centered on A.G. Jauregui (12.1 points, 2.7 rebounds) and Katie Jackson (7.9 rebounds).
"Annalisa is a very good dribble-penetrator," Stinson said. "She can shoot the three-pointer, so you have to cover her all over the place.
"Katie is a good three-point shooter, so you've got to make sure you run her off the (three-point) line."
With Winfield's tallest player at 5-foot-9, the Bulldogs will look to take advantage down low with 6-foot senior Natalie Benton.
Benton played her most consistent basketball of the season last week at the Mulvane Wildcat Classic. She averaged 13.7 points at the Classic, including a season-high 17 points in last Saturday's loss to Clearwater.
Stinson will look to continue to feed Benton the ball and take advantage of the mismatch down low.
"The big thing is getting to the ball to her, where she can score," Stinson said. "She had maybe her best game, offensively, against Clearwater. We didn't win, but if she can start to turn it out, it's good for us."
In order for Ark City to still contend for a home playoff spot, Stinson needs his team to show more consistency on the defensive end.
"Defense is what's the key," Stinson said. "Against Mulvane, Clearwater and even Wellington, we've had one quarter where we've given up 21, 21 and 23 points. And we just can't do that. Defense is something you can take care of day-in and day-out. We just got to be more consistent."
Above: Arkansas City sophomore Molly Warren, pictured in a Jan. 12 game against Campus, and the Bulldogs face Winfield tonight.
|
