TRAPPER WOMEN SPLIT FINAL 2 BEFORE BREAK

BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune

The Northwest College women's basketball team split its final two games before the winter break at the Arizona Western Tournament in Yuma, falling to the hosts 66-50 on Dec. 17 and defeating North Idaho College 74-47 on Dec. 18. 

Arizona Western 66, Northwest 50
The Trappers (12-6) led much of the first quarter, lastly at 8-6 after a Isabella Williams jumpshot with 2:59 left in the quarter to go ahead 8-6. 
Arizona Western (7-7) finished the quarter with a 9-0 run in the last two minutes to lead 15-8 heading into the second. 
That run continued through much of the second, with the hosts ahead 23-10 by the time Williams hit another jumpshot to stem the tide and make it 23-10 with just over four minutes left in the half. 
That started a 9-0 Northwest run, capped, again by Williams, with a pair of free throws with 1:01 left in the half to cut the lead to 23-17. 
Arizona Western pushed the lead out further by the half with a 3-pointer in the final minute to make it 26-17 headed into the third. 
Itziar Potas brought the game back to 10 after the hosts pushed the lead out early on a 3-pointer, but Northwest struggled to stay in range and Central Arizona led 49-31 after three. 
The hosts held onto the double digit advantage the rest of the way en route to the 66-50 final in what coach Cody Helenbolt said was a physical game.  
"Especially unfortunate to be missing McKinlee Covolo, our leading scorer and probably our most physical player, in that game, so that kind of made it a little bit tough," he said. "And then we were also missing Madison Kaufman in that game … But I think it was a good learning experience for us and the whole tournament, really, without having those two kids, was about trying to see different ways that we could get some scoring and have other kids have opportunities to step up and and so, you know, I think that game made us better."
Pozas finished with a team-high 20 points and Addison Hickey finished with a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double to lead the way. Helenbolt said Hickey in particular stepped up in a big way with her performances.  

Northwest 74, North Idaho 47
After an early deficit, Northwest pushed ahead of North Idaho 16-5 after a 13-0 run midway through the opening quarter capped by a Williams jumper. 
North Idaho (5-8) cut the deficit to 18-14 after one, but after making a free throw to cut the deficit to three, Northwest turned on the offense again, starting with a Hickey jumpshot to go up 20-14. 
A Williams 3-pointer with under four minutes remaining in the half put the Trappers ahead 29-19 and Northwest finished the half up 31-23. 
A Hickey jumpshot early in the third again put Northwest ahead double digits at 35-25 and the lead grew from there. 
Pozas hit a jumpshot just before the buzzer to end the third quarter to put Northwest ahead 61-35 headed to the fourth. 
The Trappers cruised in the fourth on the way to the 74-47 win. 
"As frustrated as we were in the Western Arizona game with how we played, I think I was pretty proud of the kids for turning it around and having the exact opposite playing a really good game against North Idaho the following day," Helenbolt said. "That was just a fun one, because I think everybody kind of contributed, played pretty well." 
Four players scored in double figures for Northwest, led by Hickey, who finished with 22 and 10 rebounds. Williams added 19 points and nine steals, Emma Pique added 17 points and nine steals, and Pozas 12 points and six steals. 
Helenbolt noted that with Pozas and Hickey scoring 20-plus points, five Trappers have now hit the 20-point mark this season, a good sign for the team as it heads into conference play. 

Next up
Northwest still has a bit of a break left until competition. The Trappers start a three-game homestand Jan. 15 against Laramie Community College (7-7). 

ARIZONA WESTERN 66, NORTHWEST 50
Points — Itziar Potas 20, Addison Hickey 14, Isabella Williams 8, Emma Pique 6, Fallon Millican 2
Rebounds — Addison Hickey 10 (4), Isabella Williams 8, Itziar Pozas 4 (1), Emma Pique 2, Jaila Childress 2, Saige Kidd 2, Fallon Millican 1 (1)
Assists — Itziar Pozas 3, Jaila Childress 2, Emma Pique 2, Addison Hickey 1, Isabella Williams 1
Steals — Itziar Pozas 3, Isabella Williams 2, Addison Hickey 2, Canyon Britt 1
Blocks — Addison Hickey 1 

NORTHWEST 74,NORTH IDAHO 47
Total rebounds then offensive rebounds in ()
Points — Addison Hickey 22, Isabella Williams 19, Emma Pique 17, Itziar Pozas 12, Jaila Childress 2, Maddie Mills 2
Rebounds — Addison Hickey 10 (5), Isabella Williams 4, Emma Pique 3, Jaila Childress 3 (1), Itziar Pozas 3 (2), Elise Swan 3, Fallon Millican 1, Saige Kidd 1 (1)
Assists —Emma Pique 4, Jaila Childress 3, Itziar Pozas 1
Steals — Emma Pique 9, Itziar Pozas 6, Isabella Williams 5, Jaila Childress 3, Elise Swann 1, Saige Kidd 1
Blocks — Emma Pique 1, Addison Hickey 1