The Agates girls’ basketball team dropped two games to two of the best teams in the area. Barnum beat the Agates 88-66 and Cloquet dropped Two Harbors 61-31. Barnum is blessed with both a 6-footer and one that is 6’3”. “We tried fronting the big girls and having someone behind them and seemingly each time we did that one of their other players would step up and make a shot.” Karly Holm led the Agates with forty points.
As Coach Dan Lillegaard said, “We are seemingly always battling injury or illness, but no one can ever say anything about our effort. Every one of the girls gives everything they have from the beginning of the game until the final buzzer. A coach can’t ask for much more than that.”
The Agates hosted Greenway on Thursday and host state-ranked Cromwell on Tuesday, January 31st, and then face Ely at Target Center on Saturday, February 4th.
Senior Mya Poe-Johnson said the highlight of her season is the closeness of her team. “We lost a couple players early in the season and have worked through some injuries, and I think we are even stronger now. We haven’t had any drama or disagreements once during this season. My favorite memory happened earlier in my career when I ‘grannied’ a shot just before the buzzer to hopefully tie the game. It didn’t come close, but I won’t forget it.”
Sophomore Rachel Bopp said, “I am proud of the way some of our younger players have stepped up to fill in for departures and injuries. They have really come through for us. Our team is very close. I am anxious to play at the Target Center.”
Monday evening the Agates defeated Cook County 58-43 in Silver Bay behind Karly Holm’s big night with forty-two points. The season runs through late February with playoffs beginning the first week of March.
