Forks’ defense tightens down in second half

January 5, 2023 1:30 am
Crescent’s Ciara Cargo-Acosta, center, reaches for a rebound and is squeezed by Forks’ Keira Johnson, left, and Kyra Neel during Wednesday’s game at Crescent High School. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Crescent’s Ciara Cargo-Acosta, center, reaches for a rebound and is squeezed by Forks’ Keira Johnson, left, and Kyra Neel during Wednesday’s game at Crescent High School. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

By Pierre LaBossiere

Olympic Peninsula News Group

JOYCE — After a high-scoring first half, the Forks girls basketball team tightened the defensive screws in the second half, outscoring Crescent 19-0 in the third, going on to win Wednesday 74-34.

Forks scored 42 points in the first half, but the Loggers stayed in the game by scoring 27 points. Forks was able to hold Crescent to just seven points the entire second half.

“They [Forks] got a talking to about their defense at halftime,” said Spartans coach David Hurn. “They weren’t doing what we needed them to do. They came out more fired up in second half.”

Hurn said the Spartans are going to have to continue to play tough defense like that when they re-enter Pacific 2B League play in January.

A loose rebound gets away from the hands of, from left, Crescent’s Naomii Sprague, Forks’s Kyra Neel and Crescent’s Jocy Kazlauskas as Forks’ Keira Johnson looks on at right. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

A loose rebound gets away from the hands of, from left, Crescent’s Naomii Sprague, Forks’s Kyra Neel and Crescent’s Jocy Kazlauskas as Forks’ Keira Johnson looks on at right. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

“Crescent played very tough in the first half, but got into foul trouble fast in the second half and Forks … ran away with it,” said Crescent coach Mike Hazelett. “Crescent shooting went dead.”

Keira Johnson and Kyra Neel had huge games for the Spartans with both girls going for double-doubles. Johnson scored 28 points and pulled down 16 rebounds. Neel had 24 points, her highest total of the year, to go with 10 rebounds. Janessa Ramos added seven points.

For the Loggers, Ciara Cargo-Acosta had nine points and Makiah Clark had eight. Kaylen Mason scored six points and JoCy Kazlauskas added five.

Forks (4-0, 6-3) next hosts Ocosta (3-2, 3-4) at 7 p.m. Jan. 6.

Crescent (1-2) played at Quilcene on Thursday after press deadline. The Loggers next play at Summit Classical Christian School on Tuesday.

Forks 74, Crescent 34

Forks 20 22 19 13 — 74

Cres. 15 12 0 7 — 34

Forks (74) — K. Johnson 28, Kyra Neel 24, Ramos 7, Gaydeski-St. John 4, Karee Neel 4, Wood 3, b. Johnson 2, Peters 2.

Crescent (34) — Cargo-Acosta 9, Clark 8, Mason 6, Kazlauskas 5, Gales 3, Ferro-May 2, Sprague 2.