The Fort Calhoun High School girls basketball team lost its Monday night exhibition game against Oakland-Craig, 47-25.
First-year head coach Eric Jones pointed to one fourth-period instance to describe how he'd like his team to improve going forward into the regular season, which started Thursday at Fremont Bergan and continues Saturday at Syracuse.
“We came out with our best defensive possession after, kind of, getting our butts kicked, and got a shot-clock violation,” the coach said, explaining the Pioneers' stop against the Knights. “That possession there is what I have been seeing in practice for 2.5 weeks.”
It's how FCHS wants to play defense this season.
“Literally the first time we played how we do it, we get a shot-clock violation,” Jones continued.
He said he mentioned it to the girls in the locker room after the game, too.
“That was one possession out of 50 or whatever and it's got to be every possession like that,” the coach said. “They get it. They know it.”
Jones said he's relayed a bunch of new information to the Pioneers during preseason practices. But with just a few days before the season-opener, he talked about fine-tuning things in preparation for the Knights of Bergan. Rebounding and defense were set to be two of his practice priorities in the days leading up to it.
Oakland-Craig, however, provided quite the challenge in preparation for the weekend's games, too.
“That's a pretty good team, I think, for C-2 basketball,” Jones said. “Man, coach's daughter — she could shoot it.”
Sonya Guzinski led the Knights with 16 points against Calhoun, scoring four buckets from beyond the 3-point arc. Her first two long-range makes came during Oakland's 12-7 first quarter.
The Pioneers, however, actually led at the start of Monday's exhibition. Maelie Nelson — who scored a team-best eight points — scored the game's first two points before freshman Dehlia Hallberg hit a 3-pointer for a 5-2 lead.
Nelson added a second bucket for a five-point advantage before the Knights went on a 10-0 run to capture the lead for good. They never trailed again even as Hallberg and Ella Bouwman finished with five FCHS points apiece and Isabel Wray scored four. Jovi Grenier notched two points, too, while Ansley Elofson had one.
“We need more energy and more fire from everybody, but especially when kids come in off the bench,” Jones said.
He explained how he'll also need more production from Elofson and starter Raeann Massey, who combined for a single point Monday.
“We'll have them ready by Thursday,” the coach said, referring to his entire team.
Saturday's road game at Syracuse starts at, approximately, 2:15 p.m. after the junior varsity matchup at 1.
FCHS GIRLS BASKETBALL LINE SCORE
Monday
Oakland-Craig 47, Fort Calhoun 25
OC 12 10 18 7 — 47
FCHS 7 8 6 4 — 25
Scoring: FC — Maelie Nelson 8, Ella Bouwman 5, Dehlia Hallberg 5, Isabel Wray 4, Jovi Grenier 2, Ansley Elofson 1.
OC — Sonya Guzinski 16, Hilary Ray 14, Briar Ray 7, Adi Rennerfeldt 4, Carolyn Magnusson 3, Emma Anderson 2, Mia Thomsen 1.
