Vikings defeat lady Orioles

Augusta’s girls basketball team was not able to overcome another offensive lull in Thursday night’s home game against Winfield.

After a strong start, Augusta went scoreless in the second quarter, which led to a 43-29 loss to the Vikings.

“My guard play was really bad all across the board,” coach Tracy Anderson said. “We were impatient again offensively, and we weren’t helping much defensively...We’re pressing, so we go back to our old habits, and our old habits are what’s killing us.”

Winfield also started finding holes in the Orioles’ defense. Augusta adjust and started switching on defense, which worked for a while. But Anderson pointed out that switching made it more difficult to cover Winfield’s perimeter shooters, like Abby Bertholf, who drained four 3-pointers and led the Vikings with 16 points.

Augusta fell behind by 20, but the Orioles kept fighting, especially on the defensive end. The Orioles outscored Winfield 16-6 through the middle of the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late.

Kalie Robinson and Brooke Eberhardt both scored a team-high six points for the Orioles.

Madie Becker showed some aggression in the post and got to the free throw line. She had five points.

“I thought she was much more aggressive and went to score, not just anticipating a foul,” Anderson said of Becker. “...Madie showed me signs [Thursday].”

With Christmas break, Augusta won’t return to practice Dec. 28 and competition until Jan. 4.