Megan Yabumoto had 14 points and Kianna Maldia had 11 as the Sobrato girls basketball team overcame a lack-luster shooting night to defeat Gunderson, 39-30 Wednesday.
The Bulldogs turned the Grizzlies over 26 times, held them to three points in the third quarter and built up a big enough lead in the first quarter to pave over some cold shooting of their own.
But no matter how they got it done, the win was a special one for coach Erica Wallace.
“Their coach coached me from middle school up through high school and this is the first time I’ve beaten him in any kind of competition,” Wallace said. “So it was truly a double win.”
That said, Wallace noted the game was between the players on the floor and she was pleased that despite things not working out all the time for her girls, they continued to battle through physical play to get the win.
Sobrato opened the game on a 10-2 run and eventually led 14-5 behind Karla Martinez’s five points.
Things got a little hairy in the second quarter as Danielle Gezzi put up six points to lead Gunderson to 12 for the quarter and cut the Sobrato lead down to five.
Gezzi led the Grizzlies with nine points, having no points in the fourth quarter and just a free throw in the first.
The Bulldogs never allowed Gunderson closer than four, however, as Yabumoto helped put some distance between the two teams with five points, including the first of her four 3s for the game.
Leading 21-17 coming out of the half, Sobrato hit a cold snap coming out of the break that was only outdone by Gunderson’s lack of offense.
Fortunately for the Bulldogs, while their shooting went cold and they themselves turned the ball over 11 times, the defense responded in kind.
The Bulldogs allowed just one early bucket while forcing 10 turnovers to keep the Grizzlies from really mounting a comeback.
“Our defense kept us afloat the whole game,” Wallace said. “It might not show with our steals and forced turnovers, but just the fact that we had Ally Nodohara defending the full court made it hard for Danielle Gezzi to get up the court and put more pressure for the other team’s point guard’s decisions.”
Yabumoto drained a 3-pointer at the end of the quarter to put Sobrato back up by six.
Then in the fourth, the lid came off the rim.
“My team is used to living by the three and dying by the three, so to say,” Wallace said. “We’re used to creating many 3-point opportunities, but with the lack of ball movement, it’s impossible. … This game we got some looks and made them count.”
Yabumoto sank a pair of 3s while Maldia had seven points, including a 3-pointer.
Gunderson got a little run going also, scoring 10 points, but only after Sobrato had gone on an 11-4 scoring run effectively putting the game away.
While Yabumoto and Maldia both had good games offensively, Helena Batey had a good one both defensively and on offense, pulling down 11 boards to lead both teams in rebounds and she recorded a block.
Overall, Wallace was pleased with the win and pleased with the improvement the girls are showing.
“If feel we’re growing. We’re starting to grow into our roles and our young kids stepping up more with the more game time and experience they get,” Wallace said.
Sobrato will next travel to Pioneer Friday to take on the Mustangs 7 p.m.
