“That was a statement,” Auburn High School girls basketball assistant coach Dan Lisk said leaving the locker room.
The statement was Auburn dismantling Kennedy Catholic, 59-40, on Jan. 20 as the Trojans’ quest for the NPSL title continues.
“Defensively we are just getting after it. They are moving their feet, contesting shots. They (Kennedy) can shoot it, so we did a good job knowing who the shooters were and communicating on defense,” head coach Jessica Hansen said.
It wasn’t a surprise that Auburn played this well against Kennedy. The Trojans have been on a tear since their lone loss to Tahoma back on Jan. 6. Auburn has won their next four games by an average of 28.3 points and has allowed opponents to score just 35 over that three game span.
“We want our defense to translate to good offense. When we play really good defense, I feel like we can compete with anyone,” Hansen said.
Defensively, Auburn was dominant all night against Kennedy and got out to a 13-0 lead. Kennedy didn’t score until 1:17 left in the first quarter, and by that point the game was over.
Avery Hansen takes a three point shot against Kennedy Catholic. Ben Ray / The Reporter
“We had a bunch of fire in us, from one of our losses this season. We never give up. We just work, work, work for this moment to keep succeeding,” Auburn junior Jordyn Schoenbachler said after the win.
Auburn led 16-3 at the end of the first quarter. Star point guard Avery Hansen had her best scoring quarter of the evening. She finished the first quarter with half of Auburn’s points on 3 of 6 shooting from the floor and 2 of 4 from the free throw line. Hansen finished with a team high 16 points in the win.
In the second quarter, Schoenbachler hit a pair of three-pointers to add to her nine point total in the first half.
“It breaks open everything. They are running doubles at Avery. When they run doubles and we get it to open shooters, they can knock down shots. That opens up everything for us,” Hansen said.
Schoenbachler has taken on a bigger role this season than she has her entire high school career. The junior is playing more minutes and getting more touches, and her play is benefiting from it. She finished the game against Tahoma with 15 points on five three-pointers, her second straight game with five made three-pointers.
“I think the time I put in outside and inside of practice, we do a lot of shooting. I do go a lot of mornings, on my own time,” Schoenbachler said. “I feel like I have grown a lot throughout the season, but it’s not just me. It’s the whole team. We have all grown.”
Schoenbachler is one of six juniors on the Trojans’ roster, a roster that has played together for years. Their chemistry and connection has helped them get out to a 14-2 start and has helped them win over 14 games in each of the last three seasons.
“I’ve been playing with Avery since elementary school. This year I am stepping into a bigger role. Our team work has just always been great. We have always clicked,” Schoenbachler said.
Even Ari Deloney, who is returning to play after suffering a knee injury last season, is making her way back to full strength. She made a big impact in the second quarter and got Auburn rolling.
“For her to feel a part of the team, I know she’s frustrated with where she is at. I like that she gave us a really good spark in the second quarter. Seeing her have a little success is awesome. I am happy for her,” Hansen said.
Kamryn Huttenlocker makes a lay-in for Auburn. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Auburn went into halftime leading 31-11 and in the second quarter even went to a 2-3 zone defense, which added to the list of problems Kennedy was facing.
“Defense is what gets us going,” Schoenbachler said. “We take pride in our defense.”
A new addition from Bonney Lake in the form of senior Natalie Patton has come into the fold recently. Patton finished with nine points, but was distributing the ball to Schoenbachler and Hansen all night. With a dash of blue in her hair, Patton is hard to miss, and for Auburn opponents, the blue streak will give them nightmares.
“She’s a competitor and smart. She might be one of our best passers,” Hansen said. “She’s really stepping up. She played really well against them last time.”
Auburn hosts Kentridge on Jan. 23 for their next matchup, but the biggest game of the year is their penultimate of the regular season. Tahoma comes to Auburn on Jan. 30, and that will be the final challenge before the postseason begins.
