The Tigers’ Elizabeth Jackson ties up a Liberty Bell player during a scramble under the basket during Tonasket’s season-opening victory on Friday, Nov. 30.
TONASKET – After just one game, the Tonasket girls basketball team is already showing progress.
Devan Utt scored a career-high 25 points in Tonasket’s season-opening victory.
The Tigers, who only reached the 50-point mark once all last season, blew past that on Friday, Nov. 30, with a season-opening 65-35 victory over Liberty Bell.
The contest was never in doubt as Tonasket raced to a 21-2 lead after one quarter and led 32-12 at the half.
“Our focus this year is to finish,” said Tonasket coach Mike Larson. “Finish the play. You’ve got to make shots and that’s our focus, both with our guard play and our post play.”
If anyone got that message, it seemed to be senior post Devan Utt, who poured in a career high 25 points. Some of those were fast break layups that should be “gimmes” — though last year that wasn’t necessarily true — but Utt also hit a pair of 3-pointers.
“We’ve been working on finding different avenues for her to score,” Larson siad. “Having her take outside shots helped open up her teammates and she did a great job of finding them when they were open.”
Kathryn Cleman rises up for two points against Liberty Bell on Friday, Nov. 30.
Every varsity regular scored for the Tigers, something else that never happened last year. Kathryn Cleman added 10 points, Kylie Dellinger scored eight and Baylie Tyus and Amanda Johnson furnished six each.
“We’re heading in the right direction,” Larson said. “The girls are working their tails off and responding to what we’re doing.”
Brent Baker/staff photo Devan Utt scored a career-high 25 points in Tonasket’s season-opening victory.
