Elko falls at tourney

By MARTIN HARRIS - Sports Editor
Saturday December 15, 2007

FRESNO,CA - Day 2 at the Nike Central Valley Showdown in Fresno, Calif., did not go so well for the Elko girls basketball team Friday - save one player.

After playing a hard-fought game to the wire Thursday, the Indians suffered a tough setback to Fairfax (California) High, 68-54. While the team as a whole struggled, the Tribe's Taylor Altenburg put together a career night with 35 points. The mark eclipses her career-mark of 31 during her freshman season.

“Taylor had a great game,” Elko coach Karen Hoem said. “She played hard the entire game and she should be proud of herself. The rest of our team did not carry its weight.”

No one else broke double figures and several players recorded tallies well-below their season averages. Ciera Dunbar, the team's No. 2 scorer, was held scoreless for the first time in her high school career. Sara Inman, Shelby Bruns and Mekinna Cripps combined for a total of three points.

The Lady Indians fell behind 34-22 at halftime, but they managed to close the gap to five points in the fourth quarter before Fairfax pulled away for good.

“It was not a good game,” Hoem said. “Not just because we lost but we're not doing the things we're capable of doing. It's frustrating. We're not meeting our expectations.”

Lorena Torres was the Tribe's second-leading scorer with eight points and Megan Waldvogel chipped in six. Fairfax's Gloria Lee led her team with 26 points.

While Hoem was pleased with Altenburg's performance, she knows the teams Elko will face in league will focus in on her Division I bound player.

“They will key in on Taylor,” she said. “If some of the other players don't step up, we're in real big trouble. We need some more consistency throughout the game.”

The Tribe tried its press, which has paid dividends this season, against Fairfax but it was not successful.

The Indians play two games today as they wrap up their California trip.