Hawks still learning in rout
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Liberty’s Annalise Holland (34) and Karsyn Woods battles Madera South’s Tresuri Thomas for a rebound during Thursday’s Madera Shootout game.
The Liberty Hawks girls basketball team is still going through growing pains and suffered a 74-19 loss to North Sequoia League opponent Kerman in the Madera Shootout at Madera High School.
The Hawks opened the tournament with a victory over Tranquillity, but couldn’t get back on their feet with a loss to Kerman on Tuesday, followed by a 71-24 loss to Madera South on Thursday and a 60-30 loss to Mendota, also on Thursday.
First-year head coach Ashley Chavira is trying to mold her team into a squad that will be competitive, but is finding it tough with just seven girls in the rotation, although five played on the varsity squad last year.
Madie Devine, a volleyball standout playing basketball for the first time in three years is leading the Hawks in scoring. She had 27 points in the three losses, accounting for 44 percent of the team’s scoring.
Against the Lions on Wednesday, the Hawks trailed 11-0 and committed eight turnovers in the first 4:37 of the game while taking just one shot.
After Rachel Koop saved a ball from going out of bounds, Annalise Holland scored down low for Liberty’s first points.
However, the Lions scored nine straight points while Liberty committed six more turnovers. Devine stopped the run with a 16-foot jumper for a 20-4 Kerman lead at the end of the first quarter.
Kerman scored the first five points of the second quarter before Devine hit another mid-range jumper. Camile Vestal added a layup and Devine made a steal and scored on a layup for a 25-10 Kerman lead.
However, the Lions closed out the first half with 14 straight points while Liberty turned the ball over 10 times and took just two shots.
The Lions forced 27 turnovers in the first half and the Hawks took just 10 shots to trail 39-10.
Devine opened the second half with a 10-foot jumper, but the Hawks turned the ball over on nine straight possessions while the Lions went on a 15-0 run for a 54-12 lead.
Karsyn Woods stopped the run with a short bucket, but Kerman scored six straight points before a Devine free throw. The Lions closed out the quarter with a 3-point play for a 63-15 lead.
Devine opened the fourth quarter with a 15-foot jumper and Karsyn Woods hit a mid-rang jumper, but the Lions scored 11 points during the running clock fourth quarter for the 74-19 victory.
