High school playoffs about to begin

There was an interested observer during Saturday's McQueen-Elko girls basketball match at McQueen High School.

Carson coach Ric Garcia was doing a bit of scouting and watched as the Lady Lancers took a 42-28 victory over the Indians and - by dint of an NIAA tiebreaker - a No. 3-High Desert League seed for Wednesday's opening-round game against the No. 2-Sierra League seed Lady Senators in the Northern 4A regional playoffs 7 p.m. at Morse Burley Gym.

"It's a brand new season," Garcia said of the playoffs. "But because of the past we're familiar with them, having lost to them twice. But, if anything, it gives us knowledge having gone against them, as opposed to say Elko."

The Lancers took a 48-40 win over Carson in their first meeting on Dec. 16, but had to come back from a fourth-quarter deficit to take a 51-45 overtime victory Jan. 17 at Morse Burley Gym.

"The first game was early in the year and we were just getting our act together," Garcia said on Monday. "It was a good game until the end. They have some good outside shooters. They have some size inside and are well coached. They play a 2-3 zone and man-to-man and a lot of halfcourt (defense)."

To advance to the semifinals and play the winner of Wednesday's Galena-North Valleys game, Carson, which also plays a lot of halfcourt defense, will be forced to penetrate to the basket and/or make the majority of their outside shots.

In addition, there must be an improvement from the free-throw line, where the Senators went 12-of-29 in the teams' second meeting.

Garcia, in his first year as the Carson girls coach, said his team is working on another tactic.

"We're working on getting it to our big people," Garcia said. "(Six-foot-two center) Nicole (Scott) hasn't been getting touches. That's been our emphasis at practice."

Carson, which finished the regular season 11-3 in league and 15-13 overall, is coming off a second defeat to the Reno Huskies - 43-22 at Morse Burley Gym Friday.

'We're trying to prepare as well as we can in two days," Garcia said. "We had a great practice (Monday). I think we can be there Saturday (in the championship game). McQueen is good enough to beat us and we're good enough to beat them."

GALENA AND THE REST

Sporting an unbeaten (12-0) league record, the Grizzlies (22-4 overall) are the team to beat in the High Desert League (they are the No. 1 seed) and will open play Wednesday at home against No. 4-Sierra League seed North Valleys (9-5, 18-9).

Galena beat Sierra-League No. 1 seed Reno by 18 points in early December and its last loss came against Mountain View (Ariz.) in the Centennial Tournament over Christmas.

Although her team is led by a strong group of players, including 5-foot-9 power forward/guard Caitlin Anderson, 5-8 guard Caitlin Crofts (both of whom average 13 points a game), 6-1 junior Amy Scott and 6-foot sophomore Langley Iverson, among others, Galena coach Karen Friel isn't getting ready to make space for a trophy case just yet.

"If I look at my kids, they haven't been as successful in (league play) as last year's team," Friel said Monday. "We have a lot to prove. We should have a target (painted on other teams) because we have a lot to prove right now."

That said, Friel can't be too upset with a squad whose bread and butter has been on the defensive side of the ball.

"In the halfcourt we're having huge stops on people, making people work hard. If we hold teams to under 50 points, we're good - I like our chances," Friel said.

Such defense should come in handy as Galena prepares to meet the Panthers and their 6-foot-4 center Anita Burdick, who pumped in 30 points against Damonte Ranch last Friday and who practically carries her own soundtrack with her when she rumbles down the court.

"That's a worry," Friel said. "You have to focus on her. She's been so successful when she's close to the basket. She has a great feel for where she is. She has great hands and can score."

The Galena-North Valleys contest begins at 7 p.m., as does the other three first-round matchups.

No. 3-Sierra League seed Douglas (9-5, 13-16) will travel to No. 2-High Desert League Reed, and Reno (14-0, 18-7) will host No. 4-High Desert League seed Elko in the other playoff games Wednesday.

GALENA-NORTH VALLEYS II AND THE BOYS

The Northern 4A regional playoffs get underway today for the boys, with the two teams to beat - at least on paper - being Galena and Hug.

The defending regional champion and No. 1-seed Grizzlies (12-0 in the High Desert League, 21-6 overall) host No. 4-seed North Valleys (7-7 in the Sierra League, 14-12 overall) at 7 p.m. tonight.

Galena coach Tom Mauer (in his 14th year) said he still hasn't been able to figure out his team's collective psyche.

"Saturday's practice, coming back from Elko (a 55-45 win for the Grizzlies in Elko) we were real flat," Mauer said. "Normally when you start a practice you're excited and work hard. We didn't do any of that. In the same sentence, it's a different group than some of the other guys I've had.

"I think they're a group of thinkers. The mental approach is sometimes more important than the physical. Before the games at McQueen (earlier) and at Elko Friday, we had a questionable practice. But we came out and took away their offense and did the things we talked about in the classroom."

The Grizzlies not only have a collective 3.8 grade point average, Mauer said, but most of their losses this season came in out-of-state tournaments in Texas and Utah.

The returning zone champions are led by 6-foot-7 sophomore power forward Luke Babbitt (26 points per game), 6-4 senior forward Luke Leonard (who stepped in for injured junior Eric Maupin), 6-3 guard and Carson transfer Brice Crook (nine points), 6-3 guard J.D. Peters (five points and four assists) and 6-1 guard Justin Norvick (five rebounds).

Against North Valleys, Galena's vaunted defense will be challenged by the talented tandem of Archie Kovich (19 ppg.) and Byran Coursey (18 ppg), who helped guide the Panthers to their first ever playoff appearance this year.

"We're proud of our defense - we usually hold (the other team) to 45 a game - and they (North Valleys) average about 80," Mauer said. "It's gonna be a battle. We haven't been successful with high-scoring teams. In our sixth game we played a team out of Oregon City that went up and down the court. We didn't match up well with them. Same with a Logan, Utah team, which beat us convincingly."

There is an upshot however, as Mauer has many times played the high-scoring Babbitt for only one half.

In the other games, No. 2-seed Reno (11-3 in the High Desert League, 22-5 overall) hosts No. 3 Elko (8-4 HDL, 14-12), No. 3 South Tahoe (8-6 SL, 15-11) travels No. 2 Reed (9-3 HDL, 19-8) and No. 1 Hug (14-0 SL, 24-3) hosts No. 4 McQueen (7-5 HDL, 15-11).

All games begin at 7 p.m. tonight.