NHS girls basketball still looking for first win

With three minutes to go in the first half against Longmont High School, the Niwot High School girls basketball team was matching the more experienced Trojans point for point.

Niwot junior Molly Slupik made a layup to even the score. But with the teams tied at 18-18, the wheels fell off for the Cougars. Longmont went on a 12-0 run to take a commanding lead, and the outcome was no longer in doubt.

Turnovers by Niwot and hot shooting by the Trojans from 3-point range put Longmont up 30-18 before Slupik cashed in on a free throw to end the streak. A steal by freshman Ella Zechman and a pass to sophomore Thalia Almarez cut the Longmont lead to 30-21 at the half.

That was as close as the Cougars would get as Longmont came out strong in the second half. Two baskets underneath by sophomore Rose Pacheco and a 3-pointer by Almarez were all the scoring the Cougars could manage before the Trojans took a commanding 49-28 lead,

Junior Chloe Mitchell, Almarez, sophomore Peyton Rhodes, and sophomore Madison Ackerman each made one out of two free throw attempts down the stretch, and Zechman and Pacheco added field goals, but it was enough as the Trojans, now 5-3, took home the 55-38 victory.

The Cougars will return from the winter break to take on Thompson Valley High School (3-4) at home on Jan. 10.