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Stone sizzles, Riders rule

Posted in Basketball, Wolves in college, tagged , , , , on April 24, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville’s Makana Stone came close to a triple-double Saturday, sparking her British hoops squad to another win. (Photo property of Loughborough University)

Another game, another almost triple-double.

Sparked by a 14-point, 11-rebound, eight-steal performance from Coupeville grad Makana Stone, the Loughborough University women’s basketball team held off Cardiff Met 73-60 Saturday in England.

The win lifts the Riders to 11-4 on the season (11-2 with their American assassin in uniform) and keeps them firmly lodged in second-place in the National Basketball League standings.

Loughborough has three regular-season games left, including a rematch with league leader Ipswich, which it beat earlier this season.

Saturday’s tilt, coming against the NBL cellar dwellers, seemed like it might be prime fodder for a blowout.

And it was … at first.

Up 19-11 after one quarter of play, Loughborough turned on the jets and busted out a 24-8 run in the second frame to carry a 43-19 advantage to the halftime break.

But something flipped in the third quarter, as Cardiff not only fought back, but did so with bravado.

Using a somewhat-shocking 28-11 tear across the 10 minutes, the Archers cut the margin back to seven, then got even closer early in the fourth frame.

Loughborough, and Stone, were too tough down the stretch, however, as the Riders stopped the bleeding and held on for the win.

The former Wolf topped her team in scoring — with Lauren Dabbs adding 13 points — while also taking game-best honors for rebounds and steals.

On the season, Stone had tallied 199 points, 188 rebounds, 27 assists, 52 steals, and seven blocked shots.

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Son replaces dad as JV hoops coach

Posted in Boys Basketball, tagged , , , , on April 22, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Hunter Smith drills a jumper back in the day. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Coach can shoot.

Coupeville High School is reaching into its recent past to add to its coaching staff, with Hunter Smith coming out of retirement to take over the reigns of the JV boys basketball team.

Smith, a 2018 CHS grad, needs to be officially confirmed by the school board, but that’s 99.2% certain.

In a unique twist, Hunter replaces his dad, Chris Smith, who stepped down from the JV boys basketball job after moving off-Island.

The Wolf young guns will have a chance to learn from three of the program’s biggest stars of yesterday.

Smith rippled the nets for 847 points during his varsity hoops career, placing him 12th on the all-time CHS boys basketball scoring list.

Wolf varsity coach Brad Sherman is 8th on that chart, with 874 points, while volunteer assistant Greg White is 30th, having tallied 604 points on the high school hardwood.

In addition to his hoops highlights, Hunter Smith owns half the record board for CHS football, and was a star pitcher and shortstop for Wolf baseball.

The middle of Charlotte Young’s three children — trailing CJ and preceding Scout — Hunter holds the school’s career records for receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and interceptions.

He also holds single-season marks in all three of those categories, and the single-game record for receiving TD’s.

With the start of a pandemic-shortened basketball season just around the bend, Sherman and his assistants — longtime coach Randy Bottorff is helping out as well — are primed to go.

“Really excited to have Hunter coming onboard,” Sherman said. “To be able to bring in someone of such high character, who not only knows the game, but is passionate about the success of the program, is a huge win for our athletes.

“Hunter is a great fit to lead our JV team and I know the whole coaching staff can’t wait to get started in a couple weeks.”

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Another week, another honor

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , , on April 20, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Makana being Makana. (Photo illustration by FocusHoops)

Right back where she belongs.

Coupeville grad Makana Stone has been almost a fixture on the National Basketball League Team of the Week in her first season playing basketball in England, a proper reward for her titanic two-way play.

And boom, another Tuesday rolls around, and there is she again.

This time out Stone, who reps Loughborough University these days, is being honored for a near triple-double thrown down this past Saturday in a win over Thames Valley.

The former Wolf racked up 13 points, 15 rebounds, and nine steals, while hitting a big bucket late to seal the victory for a Rider squad which is 10-4 overall, 10-2 with Stone in the lineup.

In a nice twist, one of the other honorees is sweet-shooting Mady Burdett, Stone’s former running mate for four sizzlin’ seasons at Whitman College.

Burdett now plays for Nottingham Trent and rippled the nets for 26 points, including six three-balls.

On the season, Stone sits with 185 points, 177 rebounds, 26 assists, 44 steals, and seven blocks.

Loughborough, which has four regular-season games left on its schedule, returns to action this Saturday, April 24, when it scraps with league cellar-dweller Cardiff Met.

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Still a Stone-cold savage

Posted in Basketball, Wolves in college, tagged , , , , on April 17, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Makana Stone racked up 13 points, 15 rebounds, and nine steals Saturday in England. (Photo property Loughborough University)

She put on a show.

Falling just a single steal shy of recording a triple double Saturday, Makana Stone tore up the blue hardwood at Uxbridge College.

With the Coupeville grad going off for 13 points, 15 rebounds, and nine steals, Loughborough University held on for a crucial 72-66 road win over Thames Valley, keeping the Riders in sole possession of second-place in England’s National Basketball League.

Now 10-4 on the season, 10-2 with Stone on the floor, Loughborough trails just Ipswich (13-2) with four games left in the regular season.

The Riders beat the league leaders the first time they met, and the two squads face off again May 1.

Saturday, Loughborough rode the inside/outside combo of Stone, who controlled the paint, and sharpshooting Robyn Ainge, who strafed Thames Valley from behind the arc.

Dropping four long-range three-balls, Ainge torched the nets for a game-high 28 points, while her running mate slashed through the defense with a bound to her step.

Loughborough held the advantage early, taking a 20-14 lead after one quarter, before stretching the margin to 44-35 at the half.

Thames Valley rallied in the third frame, however, using a 23-16 run to cut its deficit all the way back to a single bucket.

After lighting up the scoreboard through the first three quarters, the two teams turned the final 10 minutes into a defensive battle.

The game was still in doubt deep into the English afternoon (otherwise known as way too early in the morning in America), before Loughborough dropped the hammer.

Stone’s final bucket, a twisting banker in the paint, staked the Riders to a 68-63 lead, before Lauren Dabbs drilled a game-busting trey from the right corner to answer a Thames Valley three-ball.

Ainge closed the game out with a free throw, sending her squad home happy.

On the season, Stone sits with a tidy 185 points, 177 rebounds, 26 assists, 44 steals, and seven blocked shots.

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Stone collects all the honors (all of them!)

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , on March 19, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Makana Stone tears up the hardwood in England. (Photo property Loughborough University)

She’s been a Player of the Week before, but now she’s taking it a step further.

Coupeville grad Makana Stone was one of three athletes recently hailed by Loughborough University in England, named as the school’s Players of the Month.

The former Wolf joins tennis ace Otto Sterner and hockey player Guy Sheldon in being honored by the Loughborough Students’ Athletic Union.

The trio were hailed for having “gone above and beyond and continued to support their teammates, participated in various lockdown challenges and kept themselves active.”

During her time in Europe, Stone has been a steady presence on the basketball court, helping lead the Riders to a 9-1 record in games in which she has suited up.

A three-time pick as National Basketball League Player of the Week, she sits with 168 points, 155 rebounds, 24 assists, 34 steals, and five blocks on the season.

Stone is second in the league in rebounding (15.5 a game), third in efficiency (279.0), fourth in scoring (16.8) and steals (3.4), and ninth in free throw percentage (75.7%).

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