After falling to Valdez 22-12 on Friday, Sept. 29, the Cordova Junior High girls’ basketball team came back to upset the visitors in a wild basketball rematch on Saturday night.
A big crowd of enthusiastic fans cheered wildly as players tumbled all over the floor, with not many points on the scoreboard, but plenty of scrappy defense as well as numerous turnovers.
The score was tied 4-4 at the quarter, 7-7 at halftime, and 11-11 at the end of quarter three, before Cordova held on to win 15-14 after a shot by Valdez at the buzzer was no good.
The key to the win was a change in strategy to start the second half of Friday’s contest. Cordova had scored only two points the first half with a pair of free throws, and trailed 12-2.
“I figured what the heck, let’s try a full court press, and boy did that fire the girls up,” said Coach Hans Werner. “In fact, they were so excited to make a basket off a steal, they were so busy celebrating they forgot to go back and play defense.”
As a result of that press, Cordova matched Valdez 10-10 in the second half of that game but more importantly discovered they could compete with the rivals from across Prince William Sound.
And press away they did all Saturday.
“I can’t remember when we beat Valdez,” admitted Werner.
With a nice mix of size and speed, CHS Activities Director Seth Balint was already looking ahead: “I think this group really has a chance to be something special for the future of Lady Wolverine basketball.”
The CHS Junior High boys lost to big and deep Valdez 54-17 on Friday, Sept. 29, and 58-9 on Saturday, Sept. 30.
