The Tenino girls basketball team couldn’t buy a basket early on Thursday, and the slow start came back to haunt the Beavers in a 33-29 loss to University Prep in Seattle.
The Beavers were held scoreless in the first quarter, missing several shots in the paint, and they scored just five in the second.
“We had a lot of good looks inside,” Tenino coach Scott Asmore said. “We just couldn’t make a shot. It was not for a lack of effort.”
The Beavers’ (2-9) defense kept them in the game, as the Pumas also struggled to score and led 9-5 going into halftime. Ashmore commended the defense, specifically those defending the post.
“We played pretty well defensively,” Ashmore said. “We’ve been playing good, and if our post defense is good, our defense is better.”
Both offenses got going in the second half, Tenino led by Holly Thoren and Brianna Asay and University Prep headed by Skylar Coulter, Kori Billingslea, and Sophia Spagnola.
Thoren and Asay finished the game combined for 24 points, while the Puma trio combined for 25. Despite the better second half, the Beavers were not able to close the gap.
“If we would have made some shots, the game would have went our direction,” Ashmore said. “You gotta play four quarters.”
Tenino is back in Seattle on Friday morning, as the Beavers will take on Burlington-Edison.
