Newport girls get first home win in years

NEWPORT – The Newport girls’ basketball team opened their season at home against Riverside Thursday night, Dec. 5. The game was going like many Newport girls’ games in recent years, with Newport playing energetically, but still trailing by three points at the end of the first quarter and by five at the half.

Then came the second half. Newport outscored Riverside 38-16 in the second half to take a 55-40 win, the first home win in four years.

“Our seniors had never won at home, so it was very special,” Newport coach Thad Trepanier says. After they got the lead in the third quarter, he says the idea was to extend it.

“Man, oh man, the girls did that and more!” he says.

Grizzly scoring was led by Sammi Tellessen with 19 points, including a 3-pointer.

Emma Crabtree also hit a 3-pointer and scored 14 points.

The next night Newport traveled to Colville, where it was a different story. Colville got a 6010 win.

It was a completely different game, Trepanier says, with Colville pressing the entire game.

“They are up in your face and have pressure the entire game,” he says. Tellessen didn’t score any points and Crabtree only got six to lead Grizzly scoring. The Grizzlies didn’t score more than four points in any quarter and were shut out completely in the fourth quarter. “It was a tough one for us a team but all we can do is learn from it.”

Friday, Dec. 13, Newport (1-1) is home again against St. George’s (1-2).