PORTLAND -- To enhance its chances against Washington power Kentridge on Friday, Beaverton could have used some of its hot three-point shooting from the previous day.
Unfortunately for the Beavers, it didn’t carry over and they fell 66-52 in a Platinum bracket semifinal of the Pacific Office Automation Holiday Classic girls basketball tournament at Franklin High School.
No. 4 Beaverton (4-6) shot 10 of 38 from three-point range as it bombed away in an attempt to keep up with the Chargers (10-0). It was much different than the opening round, when the Beavers hit 14 of 31 from deep in a win over West Linn.
“They’re good shooters, and they were working hard to get good shots,” Kentridge coach Bradley McDowell said of the Beavers. “We were trying to really close out hard and make it as tough as possible. We really wanted to make them do another thing, make them put it on the floor, pass to another person.”
Beaverton coach Kathy Naro didn’t like her team’s offensive flow.
“I think we’re a lot better than we played,” she said. “Last night we couldn’t miss a shot. And now tonight. But that’s how we’ve been. We’ve got to get this figured out. We just can’t live and die by the three. I feel like we do a lot of one, two pass, shoot a three.”
Failing to develop a rhythm was one issue for Beaverton. Perhaps a bigger problem Friday, though, was finding a way to slow down the dominant post play of Kentridge senior JaQuaya Miller and junior Jordyn Jenkins.
The 6-foot-2 Jenkins burned Beaverton for 26 points and 12 rebounds. The 6-4 Miller, who has committed to Washington, added 14 points, 11 rebounds and three assists. They combined to make 16 of 19 free throws as they hurt the Beavers in the halfcourt and in transition.
“We obviously didn’t shoot it well, but when we did miss threes, they would go, and then we’re out of position, and we end up fouling them,” Naro said. “Their big girls are very skilled. They’re very good. I was very impressed with them.”
Miller and Jenkins, who led Kentridge to a 49-35 edge in rebounds, have become a lethal combination.
“Our bigs really work well together,” McDowell said. “They are focused on getting to the basket, and that really helps us out on being confident for everybody. It lets our guards be a tad bit more aggressive and ready to shoot. It all starts with my bigs.”
Beaverton junior Sydney Erikstrup and sophomore Alexa Borter each made three three-pointers and finished with 17 and 11 points, respectively. Erikstrup also had eight rebounds and three assists and junior guard Mary Kay Naro added nine points and nine rebounds.
All six of Beaverton’s losses have come against out-of-state teams.
“Obviously, losing is awful. It definitely sucks to lose,” Erikstrup said. “But at the same time, it’s a learning experience. In that sense, we are getting better. It’s better than playing teams that we blow out by like 50. We’re getting something out of this.”
Naro said it’s important for her team to stay together as they go through the early-season trials.
“We just talked about, each game is a learning block in wanting to get better,” she said. “I think we’ve played all kinds of teams, and that was a great team we just lost to. I think we can take something and learn from every single game.”
Kentridge, which beat Benson in the Holiday Classic final last year, will face Sierra Canyon (Calif.) in the bracket final at 8 p.m. Saturday.
jerryu@osaa.org
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