The Wayland girls’ varsity basketball team, long on youth and short on experience, remained winless after the Cornerstone Holiday Tournament Wednesday, but it’s getting more competitive as the season progresses.
The Lady Wildcats fell to 0-5 overall for the campaign with a second-round loss, 55-49, to Zeeland East. They actually led by four points, 38-34, at the end of three quarters, but the wheels came off in the last eight minutes.
Wayland trailed 15-10 at the close of the first period, but had a nice 15-7 run in the second quarter to post a 25-22 lead at intermission.
Junior pivot Sam Nieuwkoop had another nice game, scoring 17 points and gathering 15 rebounds, her second double-double for the two games of the tourney. She scored 24 with 11 rebounds Monday against tourney division champion Forest Hills Northern.
Sophomore guard Mari Biondo contributed eight points and Abby Omness had six. Taryn Coughlin came up with four steals and she and Nieuwkoop both dished out three assists.
Sophie Riemersma scored 24 points for Zeeland East and Meg Morehouse had 17. The Chix made 14 of 21 free throws in the contest while Wayland made only four of six.
The Lady Wildcats outrebounded Forest Hills Northern in their first-round loss and they were edged by Zeeland only 37-36 in that department.
First-year coach Wes Hudson’s group will get a respite from hardcourt action until Friday, Jan. 6, when taking on O-K Gold Conference rival South Christian.
