By Breven Honda
Brenley Skadburg racking up points against Lake Mead last Friday.
It is the final week of regular season basketball for the White Pine girls team.
Three regular season games this week separate the Ladycats and the 2A South Division playoff bracket beginning on Feb. 13.
Head coach Heather Hamilton said her team is in a good spot heading into the final week before the postseason.
“I think we’re confident of being able to take all three of these games,” Hamilton said Feb. 3 ahead of their matchup against Adelson. “But we’re going to treat them as if they’re any other level of competition to us like, Needles or Lincoln (County).”
The team defeated Adelson 55-6 on Monday. They now travel to Awakened Christian on Feb. 7 and Founders Christian the next day to finish the regular season.
Adelson, Awakened Christian and Founders Christian take three of the bottom four spots in the standings, which makes the schedule light heading into the postseason, whereas potentially playing first place Needles or Lincoln County, who is neck-and-neck with White Pine in the 2A South standings. Lincoln County faces Adelson Tuesday in the first of their final three games. They travel to Founders Christian on Feb. 7 and Awakened Christian on Feb. 8.
“That’s why it’s important for us to stay competitive and treat each team like they’re just some high level of competition for us,” Hamilton added.
Throughout this entire season, Hamilton has relied on four juniors to lead this team in Paityn Lawrence, Amaia Shedd, Miley Oxborrow and Presley Skadburg.
Lawrence is the team’s second leading scorer with 9.9 points, while also averaging multiple rebounds, assists and steals. Presley Skadburg leads the team with five rebounds per game.
“All of them have stepped up in a big way,” Hamilton said. “We don’t have that senior leadership, but they’ve really learned to step in when they need to.”
Hamilton said the quartet of juniors have been able to improve not only for the rest of the season but also come next year when they are in their final year providing that senior leadership.
“They’ve done something to grow each game in the season and I think that they’re really buying into the program,” she said. “Their confidence is growing. I think that’s the biggest thing and having that so early as a junior, taking it into their senior year next year. But I think that’s bringing growth and winning, and those wins are basically what they put in.”
In addition, add sophomore Brenley Skadburg, Presley’s sister, who elevates this team, especially in terms of offense, averaging 16.6 points per game, which ranks second in the 2A South, third in the 2A Division and 24th among all players in Nevada.
As of Feb. 1, Brenley Skadburg has 17 double digit scoring performances and seven 20-point games. That includes 24 against Green Valley Christian on Feb. 1 and outscoring Lake Mead herself with 27 points in a 59-15 win on Jan 31.
The production from all of Hamilton’s players has led to winning six of their last seven and are looking to gain a first-round bye in the 2A South playoffs for being one of the top two seeds.
However, even if her team is the No. 3 seed in next week’s postseason bracket, it gives her team preparation for the remainder of the bracket.
“I’m not upset about it in any way,” Hamilton said about the team’s potential seeding. “That gives us kind of an advantage to play on the court at divisions, getting familiar with that court gives us an extra game to prepare for what happens next.”
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