By Debbie Raney
Burns Times-Herald

The 1A girls basketball season officially began for the Crane Mustangs on Dec. 1. Like all the other 1A basketball teams in the state, the Mustangs’ ultimate goal was to play their last game on March 6, in one of the trophy rounds of the OSAA state tournament in Baker City. Crane not only made it to the final possible day of action for the 2009-2010 season, they claimed the third-place trophy for the year.

At the state tournament in Baker City, the Mustangs defeated McKenzie in the quarterfinals, lost to Helix in the semi-finals, and then downed Mohawk for third place. Throughout the tournament Natalie Bentz was recognized as the Qwest Player of the Game in both the McKenzie and Mohawk games, and Brenda Otley was selected for player of the game against Helix.

In addition, Bentz was named to the all-tournament first team. September O’Crowley earned placement on the all-tournament second team.

Crane vs. McKenzie

The Mustangs quarter-final victory against the McKenzie Eagles had Crane coming out on top, 51-44.

The Mustangs were first to score after a Brenda Otley steal set up an Emilee O’Toole assist to Natalie Bentz in the paint. Crane had a 13-7 lead at the end of the first quarter, with the Eagles hitting two 3-pointers to keep in the running.

Three more 3-point shots by the Eagles at the opening of the second quarter had the teams even at the midway point in the period. Once the Mustangs stopped the Eagles’ outside attack they were able to pull back to a 28-20 lead going into the half.

Bentz and September O’Crowley picked off the ball at the top of McKenzie’s key, going all the way to the net on the other end at the beginning of the third. The Eagles tried a full-court press, but Crane pushed through to take a 45-30 lead into the final quarter.

The Eagles almost had a chance to take the game away after a let down by the Mustangs in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter. While McKenzie downed 12 unanswered points, Crane didn’t hit a shot, committed four rebounds and racked up their seventh team foul for the half. At 1:45, another Eagle 3-point shot put the score at 45-42. Finally, at 1:25 Brooke Nyman made Crane’s first point of the fourth, hitting the front of a shooting foul. She, Otley and Buermann finished the game shooting foul shots, making four out of five.

1    2    3    4   Final
Cra     13  15   17   6      51
McK     7  13   10   14     44
OSAA official stats:
Points — Bentz 18, Otley 9, O’Crowley 8, O’Toole 7, Buermann 6, Nyman 3.
Rebounds — Bentz 11, O’Crowley 9, Buermann 2, O’Toole 2, Nyman 2, Otley 1.
Steals — Otley 2, O’Crowley 2, Bentz 1, O’Toole 1.
Assists — Buermann 3, O’Toole 3, O’Crowley 2, Otley 1.

Crane vs. Helix

It just never came together for the Mustangs in the semi-final game against the Helix Grizzlies. Crane started the game off track, was never able to get pointed in the right direction and took a 42-34 loss.

The Mustangs only hit two shots in the first quarter — both were Bentz baskets. By halftime, they had taken a slight, two-point lead, 14-12.

The third quarter proved to be the Mustangs’ undoing. After baskets by  Otley and Buermann, Crane’s defense let Helix nail nine points in a row. Emilee O’Toole downed a bucket for Crane in the middle of the period, but four more for the Grizzlies made the score 30-22 in Helix’s favor as the fourth quarter began.

The Grizzlies spread their offense, using up clock to start the fourth. Crane got the first five points of the fourth on an O’Crowley bucket and an O’Toole basket with a foul attached. After the initial run, the Mustangs lost the intensity again, and let the Grizzlies finish the win.
1    2    3    4   Final
Cra     4   10    8   12     34
Hel     6    6   18   12     42
OSAA official stats:
Points — Bentz 7, O’Toole 7, O’Crowley 7, Buermann 5, Otley 5, Nyman 3.
Rebounds — Bentz 9, O’Crowley 8, Otley 4, O’Toole 3, Nyman 3, Buermann 1.
Steals — O’Crowley 2.
Assists — O’Toole 3, O’Crowley 2, Buermann 1, Bentz 1.

Crane vs.  Mohawk

After suffering through the semi-finals the day before, the Mustangs found third/fifth-place game, and overpowered the Mohawk Indians 63-39.

In spite of four missed shots inside the key in the opening quarter, Crane had the upper hand controlling the boards on both ends. In the first quarter, the Mustangs recording rebounds were Buermann (2) O’Crowley (4), Bentz (1) and Nyman (1).

The shots started to fall during the second quarter for Crane, and as a team, they hit for 19 points. Going to halftime, the Mustangs had a 27-13 advantage over the Indians.

Picking up at the top of the third quarter exactly where they left off at the end of the second, Bentz scored on Crane’s opening possession of the period. Buermann and O’Crowley both hit put-back shots, and then two Otley buckets outside kept the ball rolling. To start the fourth, the Mustangs were ahead 51-23.

Nyman, O’Crowley and Bentz scored their final baskets of their high school careers at the beginning of the final quarter. Fellow senior Savannah Duff came into the game and got one final point as well, hitting the back end of a shooting foul. With just under four minutes remaining, the starters left the floor, and Crane’s bench ended the season.
1    2    3    4   Final
Cra     8  19   24   12      63
Moh    6   7    10   16      39
OSAA official stats:
Points — Na. Bentz 22, O’Crowley 18, Otley 6, Buermann 5, O’Toole 4, Nyman 4, Landon 2, Duff 1, Steeves 1.
Rebounds — Na. Bentz 12, O’Crowley 9, Buermann 7, Nyman 4, Steeves 3, Landon 2, Duff 2, Corrigan 1, Otley 1.
Steals — O’Crowley 1.
Assists — Nyman 3, O’Crowley 3, Buermann 2, Na. Bentz 2, O’Toole 1, Otley 1, Duff 1.