Palmer posts help Moose notch first win of season

PALMER — The Palmer Moose girls basketball team took care of the West Anchorage Eagles Friday night by a score of 59-31. The Moose controlled the game from start to finish and won their first game of the season.

The Moose started off strong. Head coach Paul Reid’s defense stifled the West attack, allowing very few good looks at the basket for the Eagles. What made Palmer’s defense so effectively annoying for the Eagles was the play of Palmer’s guards in the press. Juniors Tress Whitfield, Anna Keohn, Bridget Jensen and sophomore Taylor Blake used their speed and pesky hands to create a load of turnovers for West.

Offensively, the Moose scored at will. Once Keohn worked the entry pass into Kasara Brandenburg, it was just a matter of time before the Moose extended their lead. Brandenburg used a variety of post moves to dominate the first half. When she missed, Brandenburg and her teammates were there to snag an offensive rebound. The Moose were dominant in the paint and would stay there as long as possible.

Within the first three possessions, Palmer had six offensive rebounds. The Moose went right to the basket and went at it until they could leave their home end of the court with a bigger lead.

In the second quarter, West tried a full-court press to slow down the Palmer offensive attack, which ended up working against them. The game turned into a track meet. Palmer held steady and didn’t make any major runs to put the Eagles away.

Late in the first half and early in the second half, the Eagles moved into a zone defense, which was fairly effective at slowing down Brandenburg and seniors Kendal Venzke and Erin Lamere, other post threats for the Moose. This only worked long enough for the guards to work their way inside the zone to score.

Palmer led at the half 30-16.

The second half saw the return of the West press. Both teams became more comfortable with the more relaxed style of play, but neither did much different with it. West never made any comeback attempts and Palmer put the Eagles away slowly but surely.

Brandenburg led the Moose with 15 points. Blake chipped in eight.

Lauren Taosi, who would have the task of guarding and trying to score on Brandenburg all night, ended with eight points.

The Moose do not play again until they travel to Ketchikan for a tournament late in the winter break.

Palmer High School senior Tim Rockey contributes to the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman’s Sports and Schools sections.

Palmer 59, West Anchorage 32

Friday, Palmer High School

West 8-8-5-3—32

Palmer 16-14-11-17—59

West (32) — Cr. Nidoy 0 1-8 1, Bookert 0 1-2 1, Ch. Nidoy 1 0-0 2, LaVern-Tosi 4 0-1 2, Harris-Grant 2 0-0 4, Kozloff 2 4-5 8, Zamora 1 0-0 2, Garcia 1 0-0 3; Totals: 11 6-18 32.

Palmer (59) — Scott 1 4-4 7, Van Hommissen 1 2-2 4, Venzke 4 0-0 8, Jensen 0 1-2 1, Blake 4 0-2 10, Whitfield 2 0-2 2, LaMere 3 2-4 8, Brandenburg 6 3-6 15, Huffman 2 0-0 4; Totals: 23 12-23 59.

Three-point field goals: West 1 (Garcia 1); Palmer 3 (Blake 2).