If the Wayland girls’ basketball team could shoot and play better offense, it would be very dangerous.
The Lady Wildcats turned in yet another fine, scrappy defensive effort Tuesday evening but fell short on the scoreboard, 42-29, to visiting Byron Center in a nonleague contest.
The loss left Wayland with a 3-10 overall record.
The Lady Wildcats again were plagued by telegraphing passes too often, passes that were intercepted and turned into easy fast-break layups. They struggled under the boards at both ends. But besides the passing woes, their shooting was terrible.
Making things very strange during the evening was that Wayland did not make nor attempt a free throw for the entire ballgame. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, made 10 of 19 at the charity stripe.
Some might argue the refereeing was suspect, but other than a few muggings of Wildcat senior center Samantha Nieuwkoop underneath, there really weren’t very many instances in which Byron Center could have been whistled for fouls. Some might argue, therefore, the ‘Cats were a bit timid on offense.
Wayland failed to score in double figures as a team in all four quarters.
The scrappy defensive performance included a couple of steals by junior Mari Biondo and senior Jaznae Randall for easy baskets. But offensively, Biondo was the only Wayland player to reach double figures, with 10 points. It was her three-pointer midway in the third period that enabled the ‘Cats to creep to with four points, 22-18, but things really went south, particularly offensively, the rest of the way.
Wayland’s most reliable scorer and rebounder all season, Nieuwkoop, was held scoreless. Junior point guard Abby Omness chipped in nine points and freshman inside player Stephanie Ainsworth managed to score six points.
Senior guard Ellie Dykstra, sister of former Wildcat Mitchell Dykstra, led Byron Center with 14 points. The Bulldogs now are 6-7 overall for the season.
Wayland will return to O-K Gold Conference action Friday at 6 p.m. with a game against Grand Rapids Christian, which it lost to by only three points at the start of the new year.
