Coyotes open with two routs
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Madera’s Alyssa Fernandez dribbles up court to score two of her team-high 15 points to go with five steals in a 66-28 win over Firebaugh on Monday in the Madera Shootout.
With two games on the first day of the Madera Shootout, Madera Coyote girls basketball head coach Jason Smith looked to put away his opponent early to save his players’ legs.
Mission accomplished for the Coyotes. They recorded a tournament-opening 65-31 victory over Kingsburg on Monday afternoon and closed it in the evening with a 66-28 win over Firebaugh.
Against Kingsburg, the Coyotes jumped out to big leads in the first and third quarters, outscoring the Vikings 35-12 in those two quarters.
Madera had 10 players score against the Vikings, led by Alyssa Burton’s 14. Alyssa Fernandez added 10, Ashley Hansen scored nine and Maria Hernandez added eight.
After a two-game break, the Coyotes dominated the late game with 41 first half points to cruise to a 38-point victory.
Eight players scored against Firebaugh, led by Fernandez’s 15 points to go with five steals. Ximena Escobar added 11 and Burton scored 10. Hernandez scored eight and Hansen added seven.
From just watching the Coyotes battle the Eagles, it looked like it was a grind-it-out type of game, however, if one looked at the scoreboard, they would see the Hawks in total control while scoring 19 straight points after Firebaugh opened the game with a free throw.
Burton started the scoring with a layup off a Hernandez assist. Then, Hernandez scored on back-to-back layups and found Briann Houghton for another layup.
Fernandez made three-of-four free throws for an 11-1 lead. Escobar put back a miss and Fernandez turned two steals into layups. Burton put back a miss to complete the run.
Firebaugh made its first field goal with 1:26 left in the first quarter and added two free throws for a 19-5 Madera lead. The Coyotes could have taken a bigger lead, but they committed nine turnovers in the quarter.
The Coyotes opened the second quarter with a 14-0 run to take a 33-5 lead. Burton started the run with a bucket off a Hernandez pass. Fernandez got a steal and took it for a layup. Burton hit two free throws and Addyson Smith added another.
Escobar made a short bucket and Hansen hit a 3-pointer and made a 15-foot jumper to complete the run.
After Firebaugh made back-to-back buckets, Hernandez made back-to-back layups. Hansen found Escobar for a short bucket for a 30-point lead. After a Firebaugh layup, Fernandez found Escobar for a layup and a 41-11 halftime lead.
Firebaugh opened the third quarter with a bucket, but Hansen found Burton for a layup. Firebaugh came right back with a layup.
Hansen made a short jumper to give the Coyotes a 45-15 lead. Two Houghton free throws and an Escobar free throw and a layup gave the Coyotes a 7-0 run and a 50-15 lead.
After a Firebaugh offensive put back, Brianna Rubalcaba hit a 15-foot jumper. Firebaugh came back with a 3-pointer and a layup to get within 30.
However, Janessa Fernandes closed the third quarter with a driving layup and a 3-pointer for a 60-22 Coyote lead.
Fernandez opened the fourth quarter with a layup to invoke the 40-point running clock. Fernandez followed with a driving bucket.
Firebaugh then hit a 3-pointer, made a layup and a technical foul free throw while Fernandez made two free throws for the 66-28 final.
Madera continues in the Madera Shootout and plays Kennedy-Delano tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Joe Flores Gym.
