Sheldon Upsets West Albany and Summit to win Luke Roth Showcase

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Irish Executed a Defensive Scheme Designed to Disrupt the Bulldogs</h2>   Sheldon picked up three votes in the OSAA Week 1 Coaches Poll today after a strong 3-0 start to the season. The unranked Irish (6A) upset No. 9 Summit (5A) in a 57-50 “dogfight” on Friday, and upset preseason No. 3 West Albany (5A) in a 44-40 drudge match to win the Luke Roth Showcase at home on Saturday.   Nine Sheldon players got minutes on the court, and seven contributed to the scorebook against the Bulldogs.   Freshman Brooklyn Green led Sheldon in scoring with 11 points, 9 of which came in the second half. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1223938' first='Hayden' last='Kearney'] and Makenna Rhode added 10 and 9 points, respectively. Senior Jayden Mayernik scored 7 points and led Sheldon on defense with 5 rebounds and 6 steals.   It was a scrappy, yet disciplined team effort on defense for the Irish.   “They did a phenomenal job executing a game plan that we threw together the morning of the game,” said head coach Paxton Miller, who is in his first year at Sheldon after moving from the Pleasant Hill (4A) girls basketball program.   With games on back-to-back days, Coach Miller was able to get one hour on the court with his players to walk through a new man-to-man defensive scheme designed to disrupt the Bulldogs' offensive rhythm.   The Irish applied soft pressure on West Albany's point guard and lethal shooter, [player_tooltip player_id='832050' first='Payton' last='Starwalt'], to get the ball out of her hands, then followed her hip to limit her from getting it back. Sheldon sophomore guard Scout Burrel understood the assignment and put in solid minutes off the bench playing locked-in defense on and off the ball, disrupting Starwalt, and contributing 3 steals.   Also, Sheldon's defenders didn't help off [player_tooltip player_id='1179231' first='Natalie' last='Tidwell'], who had an off shooting night from the perimeter. And the Irish had success defending the pick-and-roll by double-teaming the point of attack.   The defensive scheme proved successful. Sheldon forced 21 turnovers, including 16 team steals, and held Starwalt, who is said to be averaging 28 points per game this season, to 10 points total.   West Albany did most of their damage inside. Six-foot-3 sophomore power forward [player_tooltip player_id='1179226' first='Lily' last='Hamblin'] led all scorers with 14 points and 9 rebounds. Hamblin is a force in the paint and can finish through contact. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='926138' first='Lola' last='Chamberlain'] added 5 points and 6 rebounds.   On top of an off shooting night for Starwalt and Tidwell — West Albany shot 19% from three-point range — the Bulldogs were down starting shooting guard Cate Kurth, who injured her ankle in the Bulldogs' season opener.   But a ranked win is a ranked win, and Sheldon earned two of them back-to-back within 48 hours. The Irish had plenty to celebrate in the locker room on Saturday night.   “It was a tough, tense, and physical stretch for our kids. We're excited with the results, and we made sure to enjoy it,” said coach Miller. “Moments like these are the kind you remember. I'm glad they were fired up. They earned it.”   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/DR8smORgvXg/ </div></figure>   Last season, Sheldon (12-13, 4-8 SWC) placed fifth in the Southwest Conference, earned an at-large playoff bid, and lost to West Linn in the first round. With a new coach and a strong 3-0 start to this season, the Irish look like they could contend for a top-three spot in the SWC.   When asked what success looks like for Sheldon this season, Coach Miller said, “Obviously we would love to make the postseason and maybe suprise some people when we get there. But in truth, I just want our kids to keep getting better.”   Right now, Coach is focused on preparing for Caldera:   “I look forward to seeing how we respond from a big high on Saturday to our first road game on Tuesday. This week is going to really test our maturity and focus.”   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sheldon's Top Performers from the Luke Roth Showcase</h2>   It was my first time watching Sheldon play, and it won't be my last. Here are four players who stood out in the final game against West Albany:    Makenna Rhode is a lengthy forward/guard who can knock down perimeter shots and finish drives under control. Rhode steps up for the Irish to defend the 5 and works hard to win boards and 50/50s. She got hot from behind the arc and did her part to clean up the glass against Summit, going 4-of-4 from three-point range and snagging 6 rebounds. Rhode averaged 13.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game at the Luke Roth Showcase. The sophomore has a lot of upside.     Five-foot-11 freshman Brooklyn Green is a combo guard with nice length. Green showed an ability to make plays on and off the ball on both ends. The first-year hooper had an exciting start to her high school career with strong contributions in two ranked wins. She averaged 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals per game at the Luke Roth Showcase. Green is just getting started.     Senior guard Jayden Mayernik is a tenacious defender and a plus rebounder with a motor. Mayernik has a quick first step, attacks the rim, and can finish with a eurostep. She even posted up and turned to finish a tough bucket inside. She's locked in on defense on and off the ball and will dive to the floor to win posession. Mayernik averaged 5.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 steals per game at the Luke Roth Showcase.     Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1223938' first='Hayden' last='Kearney'] is a multi-year captain and glue player for Sheldon. Kearney is a vocal leader and a role model who puts in the work on both ends of the floor. She can post up to finish around the rim or step out and hit the three-pointer. She is versatile to defend the 3 though 5. Kearney averaged 7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game at the Luke Roth Showcase. The upperclassmen will be a big piece of whatever success Sheldon has this year.