Skyline notches a key ‘team’ win over Blackfoot to remain unbeaten in conference play
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IDAHO FALLS – As Skyline’s Shay Shippen chases the state scoring record, it’s clear that the Grizzlies won’t get far in the postseason as a one-person team.
Personal accolades overshadowing team success has never been an issue for Skyline as everyone on the team, including Shippen, understands what it takes to make a postseason charge.
That was evident in Tuesday’s matchup with Blackfoot as the Broncos looked to hand Skyline its first conference loss.
Shippen, who averages nearly 25 points per game, was held to one field goal in the first half, but there was Ella Price knocking down a couple of 3-pointers and Macy Marlow hitting shots and Abby Muir nailing a 3-pointer.
The Broncos played well, but the Grizzlies kept it close and eventually pulled away with a strong second half on the way to a 64-55 win.
“I think we’re seeing a lot teams bringing a lot of pressure to us and a lot of intensity out of the gate, which is a good thing,” Skyline coach Ty Keck said. “We just go in at halftime and make a couple adjustments and really we just tell them we have to keep playing our game for another 16 minutes because we believe in how we play. And it works.”
Blackfoot (10-5, 4-2) led early and took a 35-32 advantage into the half as standout guard Addison Tanner had 11 points and the Broncos capitalized by beating Skyline down the floor for transition buckets.
Blackfoot increased its lead to seven early in the third, but things turned around as Skyline went on a 15-3 run after Marlow scored and then hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 39-39 with 4:45 left in the third. Price hit a couple of free throws and Nelly Nunez connected on a 3-pointer. Shippen capped Skyline’s run with a 3-pointer that put the Grizzlies up 47-42 and Blackfoot had no answers in the fourth quarter as Shippen scored 11 of her 20 points in the quarter and was perfect from the free-throw line.
“It is something special to have a player like Shay, but that also means every team is going to bring loads and loads of pressure to her all the time,” Keck said. “Realistically, if you don’t have players that are willing to step up and you haven’t put them in situations where they can be successful it’s going to hurt you down the stretch. I feel like that’s one thing we’ve done well this season.”
Marlow finished with 15 points, Price added 14 and Madison Merzlock scored seven points. The Grizzlies (11-6, 6-0) finished with eight 3-pointers and were 18 of 20 from the free-throw line.
Tanner topped Blackfoot with 20 points, and Lauren Christiansen and Jaci Capson each scored nine points.
With the win, Skyline has a two-game lead over Blackfoot in the High Country Conference standings with four games left to play. The Grizzlies and Broncos will meet in the regular-season finale Jan. 29 at Blackfoot.