Carolyn Ganes faked the three-pointer, drove the lane and flipped in a lay-up.
“Their big player tried to really jam her on the wing and she swept and went by her. I was looking for the dunk, but we took the lay-up and that was nice,” said coach Bev Smith, only half kidding. “That was a really nice versatility move.”
On Saturday night, everything was falling for the 6-foot-3-inch forward in the second half of Oregon’s 50-44 win over the University of Utah in the Oregon Thanksgiving Tournament.
Ganes set a career high for three-pointers made (four) and attempts (nine) in scoring 18 points – 14 coming in the second half. The second-half surge helped Oregon (3-1) overcome a 25-17 halftime deficit with the Ducks shooting just 19.2 percent from the field.
Forward Eleanor Haring initiated the offensive flow. She made a jumper to beat the shot clock, a fast break lay-up and a jumper in the key.
“El really toughed it out there and got a couple of really tough shots to drop for her,” Smith said. “Our whole team, you could just hear this collective sigh of relief like ‘Yes, OK; We’re going to be OK.’”
Trailing 27-25 with 13 minutes left, Oregon went to the outside, sparked by a jumper by Taylor Lilley and Ganes’ offensive fireworks. During her time on the sideline, Ganes had noticed a trend in Utah’s defense.
“It seemed pretty obvious when I was on the bench that they were going to give us some space and make us prove that we could hit our shots,” said Ganes, who earned a spot on the all-tournament team.
Ganes made a three-pointer along the right wing and three more from the top of the key.
“Someone who can shoot the ball at Carolyn’s size is someone who until you see it, you can’t really believe it,” Smith said. “She’s just got such great touch from that area.”
As if long-distance shooting wasn’t enough, Ganes took the ball on the right wing, flashed to the key and made a lay-up with a defender draped all over her.
Haring escaped foul trouble, which had plagued her in four of Oregon’s first five games, including the two exhibition games. She’s also struggled to find her shot this season, and in the first half Saturday, shot 1 for 6.
“Personally, I think I just went in the locker room at halftime and was like, ‘Law of Averages,’ it’s got to even out at some point,” Haring said. “I just wanted to keep being aggressive and keep putting them up and it evened out in the end.”
It did indeed. Haring had 5-of-6 shots fall in the second half to close with 14 points and six rebounds.
Miserable reunion
Boise State’s Jessica Thompson spoiled Jamie Hawkins’ reunion with her former school Friday. Thompson poured in 17 of her game-high 25 points in the second half to give Boise State a 56-47 win on the opening night of the two-day tournament.
Hawkins, who spent three years in Boise, is in the Broncos’ record books for rebounds and points. She nearly had a double-double, scoring eight points and grabbing seven rebounds, as she continues to try and shake off her early-season struggles.
“Jamie sort of relaxed a little bit,” Smith said. “I think we went to her. I think we got her going. We got her to the free-throw line and that’s my point is that we went away from her.”
“We have to have more and stronger leadership in that point guard position with Tamika (Nurse) and Micaela (Cocks) really to stay true to what we’re doing – to milk that until they stop it.”
Boise State led most of the second half and held a 39-33 lead with eight minutes left. Oregon answered with a wide open three-pointer by guard Kaela Chapdelaine. On the next Ducks possession, Lilley passed to Chapdelaine, who dished it back for a game tying three-pointer.
Haring, Oregon’s leading scorer with 11 points, picked up her fourth foul less than a minute later and Boise State took advantage. The Broncos closed the game with a decisive 17-8 run.
Lilley rarely found openings in Boise State’s defense, making 2-of-6 shots for six points one week after scoring 27 and 14 points, respectively, in games the previous weekend.
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