The players of Yuma High School’s women’s basketball team work hard in shifts.
Borrowing from hockey practice with a line shift about every 90 seconds, the Yuma girls keep running out of waves of players.
“They must love the change in hockey line,” said head coach Jeremy Robinson. “We tell them to go all out for 90 seconds and then they rest. I have to.”
It’s a seven-game winning streak, including a 49-41 come-from-behind victory over Class 2A No. 2 Akron at The Pit last Friday.
Yuma is currently 7-2 overall and 3-0 in lower plats. The former Indians ranked No. 3 this week. Class 3A Rated Percentage Index, then dropped to fifth on Tuesday.they finished 7th 3A Top 10 Vote.
Robinson and his staff were unable to keep up with hockey line changes throughout the game, and rotations in the 4th quarter became tight, at which point the other team’s key players began to tire and have won big in recent weeks. I’m here.
It was a constant in a season that was always in flux.
Yuma Basketball has now undergone seven schedule changes. Last Saturday’s game in tough Sydney, Nebraska was reset to Wednesday, Feb. 1 due to concerns over post-game travel conditions. Undefeated and at 3A he’s in second place this Saturday’s home game against Payton has been reset for February 15th. This is because the funeral of the recently deceased Peyton and his staff was held on Saturday.
“I’ve never been involved in so many schedule changes in my life,” Robinson said.
Yuma still has a big Friday showdown in the pits with Yuma County rival Ray. They rank 4th in 2A RPI and 4th in 2A Top 10 with his 7 wins and 4 losses.
Friday’s game has all the elements of another classic Yuma County showdown between longtime rivals.
“Ray is playing well, too,” Robinson said. We are great at keeping people fresh now. I think we will continue to do so. ”
It certainly worked on last Friday’s low scores, but it was an exciting, tough win over Akron’s swarm.
Yuma had a slow start offensively during a seven-game winning streak, including last Friday. But the players and coaching staff have never deviated from that plan, and their tough defense and relentless aggression are a headache.
Brush transfer Kinsey Grauer gave Akron 22 points, but the Yuma defender held off 2A top scorer Adi Kessinger. She scored her 13 points well below average, her 8 of them at the free throw line.
“They did a great job with Kessinger,” said Robinson. “Keeping her at 13 is definitely a win.”
Early on, the shooting was as cold as the weather outside, as the teams were tied 5–5 at the end of the first quarter.
Yuma took an 11-10 lead on Lee Richardson’s steals and layups, then took another 13-12 lead on Jaylin Mekelberg’s goal. However, Akron closed out his second with his 6-0 spurt to earn his halftime lead of 18-13.
The teams were tied at 20 and 22 in the third set, but the Rams stretched just enough to build a 29-26 lead again.
But it was all fourth Yuma.
Cadice Robinson started the quarter with back-to-back 3-point shots to go on a 15-2 run for a 41-31 lead. Yuma then sealed the game with Charity his stripes and held on despite his 3-pointers in the second half from Kessinger and Grauer.
Yuma was a poor ball-handler, posting 26 turnovers, but made up for it with good team defense and 35 rebounds, including 14 on the offensive grass. Former Indians he had 12 steals and 13 assists.
Robinson 14 points 8 rebounds, Richardson 12 points 7 steals 5 assists, Emma Rale 8 points 5 assists 4 rebounds, J. Mekelberg 6 points 7 rebounds, Liddy Day 3 points 4 rebounds, Lindsey Mekelberg 2 points and 1 steal, Ashley Ibanez 2 points and 1 rebound, Jade Langwitz 2 points and 4 rebounds, Alina Moran 3 rebounds, Carolina Ross 1 rebound and 1 assist. Ibanez and L. Mekelberg, who left in the second half with ankle injuries, were tasked with being the main defenders against Kessinger.
