Mac girls make it 10 in a row; boys fall to Liberty

Macie Arzner helped the Grizzlies push through a slow start Tuesday and the McMinnville girls cruised in the second half to beat Liberty 72-48.

McMinnville remained perfect in league play and have won 10 straight games (13-5, 6-0).

Arzner scored 33 points on 12-of-17 shooting, 8-of-9 from the line – doing most of her damage around the hoop – and grabbed 20 of the team’s 60 rebounds in the effort (including nine offensive rebounds).

Mac held a 17-12 lead at the end of the first quarter, despite several turnovers and missed shots around the basket.

The two teams traded buckets throughout the second, and it was a 10-point lead at half for the Grizzlies.

Mac’s started moving the ball well out of halftime as the wings utilized cross-court passes to find Arzner and forward Brooklyn Summers for inside buckets.

Alison Jensen scored eight points and had six assists. Lydia Andevine also dished out six dimes, and Rylie McManus had five, as the Grizzly wings.

Liberty’s Maddy Miramontes hit three from behind the arch in the third quarter, but the Grizzlies were too physical for the Eagles and built a comfortable 62-39 lead going into the final eight minutes.

It was an off-shooting night from deep for the home team, hitting 3-of-19 from the three-point line. But that mattered little in the end as the Grizzlies found success around the basket.

Summers scored 12 of her 18 points in the second half, shooting 9-of-13 overall and also posted a double-double with 11 rebounds.

Ruby Riddle scored four points and grabbed six rebounds.

The No. 6-ranked Grizzlies will next face Sherwood, who they previously beat 70-46, on Tuesday at home. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. (Starting times for boys and girls games now switch for the second half of conference play.)

Despite a penchant for dramatic comebacks in recent weeks, the Grizzly boys’ found themselves in a hole they couldn’t dig out of Tuesday night, losing 66-52 at home to Liberty (5-13, 3-3).

Liberty’s Nathan Holguin, Trey Thomas and Ayaan Ali were red-hot early, combining for nine three-pointers in the game’s first 10 minutes as Liberty built a 39-13 lead.

Coming out of the half-time facing an 18-41 deficit, the Grizzlies started to knock down shots and find ways to slow Liberty’s offense.

Mac scored 22 in the third quarter as they cut the lead to 14 going into the final quarter. Brayden Mix hit back-to-back threes and Dylan Ferrua hit one just before at the end of the third to make it 54-40.

While Liberty cooled from behind the arch, Tavian Womack began having his way around the basket, scoring three buckets for Liberty late in the third to keep his team up double-digits.

Ferrua hit a three-pointer to start off the final quarter, followed by a turn-around jumper in the paint by Tyler Franks to make it 46-56. Ferrua followed with two free throws to cut Mac’s definite to eight, and belief of yet another comeback was in the air of the McMinnville gymnasium.

But Mac couldn’t find the basket down the stretch and Womack was too strong for the Grizzlies down low, scoring eight points down the stretch to fend off the gritty Grizzlies.

Mix led the team with 17 points, hitting 4-of-8 from behind the arch. Ferrua added 15 point and Franks finished with 12.

Mac (7-11, 2-4) has tonight off and then will host the top team in the conference Sherwood (14-5, 6-0) on Tuesday. Tip-off is 5:45 p.m.