Big Bend explodes for 17 three-pointers in rout
MOSES LAKE - The outcome was decided within the first few minutes as Big Bend Community College (BBCC) began Saturday's game against Mt. Hood on a 27-8 run.
The Lady Vikings came out scorching, shooting over 50 percent from the field in the first half, and cruised to a 104-66 win improving their record to 3-0.
Head coach Preston Wilks shuffled his rotation since the first game against Northwest Indian College and inserted freshman guard/forward Riley Jemmett as well as sophomore guards McKell Marlor and Cristina Marlatt into the starting lineup. The trio responded with 44 total points.
Jemmett came out looking to score early, knocking down four three-pointers and scoring 17 points in the first half. She led Big Bend with 23 points and added five rebounds.
Wilks explained that the current starting unit got its first action Friday night against the alumni.
"We started out a little rough, but that's to be expected because that was really the first time that they got to kind of play together," he said. "But tonight, man, they came out clicking and that combination of Cristina and Riley was lethal tonight."
When the team wasn't hitting its shots from the outside, which was rare, the misses were cleaned up by sophomore forward Jessica Sorensen. Sorensen shot 8/9 from the field, totalled 18 points and grabbed six rebounds.
"Jessica runs the floor better than anyone in the whole NWAACC," Wilks said. "She'd win a foot race against anybody, I guarantee you... any big, any forward in the NWAACC."
Sorensen has been dealing with a hand injury to start the season, but Wilks felt that getting to the basket early helped her confidence and allowed her to knock down open jump shots.
The Lady Vikings were much improved on the glass Saturday night pulling down 51 rebounds, including 25 offensive rebounds.
"We came in tonight and we feel good now that we accomplished our goal and that was to out rebound our opponent tonight who I felt was a better than average rebounding team coming in," Wilks said.
Marlatt has began the year distributing the ball at a torrid pace, racking up 22 assists to only one turnover in Big Bend's first three games. She recorded nine assists against Mt. Hood Saturday.
"A lot of our success and credit goes to her," Wilks said. "22 assists, one turnover... that's unbelievable."
Sophomore guard Shanelle Hemmert missed her third game in a row recovering from a knee sprain. Wilks believes she will be back Dec. 6 when the Lady Vikings travel to Bellevue for the Bulldog Classic. The addition of Hemmert will add another shooter to a team filled with outside threats.
"She really is one of our better three-point shooters," Wilks said. "You throw her in that game tonight we might've had 20 threes tonight. She's going to create space for our littles because whoever's guarding her will have to stay with her."