Coupeville Sports

Makana Stone commands the basketball to get back in her hand. (Photo property Marianne Maja Stenerud)

Onward and upward.

Sparked by the play of American assassin Makana Stone, Baerum basketball cruised to its fourth-straight hardwood win, polishing off Ullern 63-51 Wednesday in Norway.

With the victory, Baerum gets to 14-5 on the season, moving back into sole possession of second place in the seven-team Kvinneligaen.

Ulriken (19-0) sits atop the league standings, while Asker (14-6) slides a half-game back of Baerum.

Stone put together a well-balanced effort Wednesday, pumping in 19 points, snatching eight boards, and handing out six assists.

Fellow American Abbey Hoff led Baerum with 23 points and nine rebounds.

Stone and Co. jumped out to a 24-11 lead after one quarter of play, before Ullern (8-11) closed the gap to 32-25 by the half.

The second half was a taut, back-and-forth affair, with Baerum holding on to its lead until the final buzzer sounded.

The squad has three days off, returning to action Mar. 5 with a rumble against Bergen, which is 4-14 on the season.

With her stellar performance Wednesday Stone improves her season numbers to 359 points, 228 rebounds, 47 assists, 51 steals, and 11 blocked shots.

The Coupeville grad is in her second season as a pro baller, having played in England during her rookie year.

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Makana Stone has places to be, and buckets to score. (Photo property Marianne Maja Stenerud)

Bow down before your hardwood queen.

Coupeville grad Makana Stone continues to torch the nets in Norway, throwing down a game-high 27 points Sunday to lead Baerum basketball to its third-straight win.

The former Wolf ace also snagged 10 rebounds, doled out three assists, made off with four steals, and rejected a shot as she and her associates drilled Midtbyen 71-53.

Baerum led from start to finish, running its record to 13-5 on the season and staying right on the heels of Asker (14-6) in the battle for second place in the seven-team Kvinneligaen pro league.

Ulriken, which sits at 19-0, remains atop the standings.

Stone and her squad jumped out to a 24-15 lead after one quarter of play Sunday, before stretching their advantage to 47-24 by halftime.

Midtbyen slightly sliced its deficit down in the second half, but just barely, trimming five points from a 23-point Baerum lead.

Makana’s 27 points were her third-best performance in Norway, as she also scored 33 against Asker and 29 against Ulriken in previous games.

Andre Stone’s lil’ sis has compiled 340 points, 220 rebounds, 41 assists, 51 steals, and 11 blocks in her second season of pro hoops.

She played for Leicester in England last season before hitting the road and trekking to Norway.

Baerum returns to action Mar. 1 when it faces off with Ullern, which sits at 8-10 on the season.

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Makana Stone ponders her choices. (Photo property Marianne Maja Stenerud)

The big payback!

Avenging a loss from earlier in the season, Baerum, and its American assassin, Makana Stone, knocked off Asker 67-59 Tuesday in Norwegian professional basketball action.

The win, spurred by a 12-point, eight-rebound, three-assist, four-steal performance from the former Coupeville ace, lifts Baerum to 12-5 on the season.

Asker drops to 13-6, while both teams continue to chase Ulriken (18-0) in the seven-team Kvinneligaen.

Next up for Stone and Co. is a match with Midtbyen Feb. 19.

Tuesday’s win gives Baerum a 2-1 edge on Asker this season, with the teams set to meet Mar. 26 in the regular season finale.

Asker had the early lead in the third go-round but couldn’t hold on to the advantage.

Baerum turned a 14-12 deficit at the end of the first quarter into a super-slim 39-38 lead by the half.

After that, Stone and her associates stretched the margin to 50-44 at the end of the third quarter, before holding on for the victory.

Asker was led by guard Tayler Bennett, who rained down fire, recording a game-high 33 points.

Baerum’s answer was to spread the ball out, with four different players tallying double-digit scoring.

Tiril Hjelde rippled the nets for 16 points, while Julie McCarthy and Abbey Hoff banked in 14 apiece to go with Stone’s 12.

On the season, Coupeville’s progeny has racked up 313 points, 210 rebounds, 38 assists, 47 steals, and 10 blocked shots.

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The defense is a step too slow, as Coupeville High School grad Makana Stone makes it rain in Norway. (Photo property Marianne Maja Stenerud)

The second half belonged to them.

Down by five at the break, Baerum and its American star, Coupeville progeny Makana Stone, rallied for a win on the hardwood Saturday in Oslo.

Knocking off Ullern 66-54, the Norwegian pro hoops squad improves to 7-2 on the season, locking down sole possession of second place in the seven-team Kvinneligaen.

Baerum, which is off now until Dec. 20, when it has a rematch with Ullern, trails just undefeated Ulriken (11-0) in the standings.

Saturday’s game was a bit of an uphill battle however, as Stone and Co. had to rally.

Ullern shot out to a 17-12 lead after one quarter of play, before holding on to carry a 31-26 advantage into the halftime locker room.

The second half was Baerum’s turn to shine, though, as it surged across the final two quarters of play.

A 16-11 run in the third knotted things up at 42-42, before Stone and her compatriots pulled away, banking home 24 points during a furious final frame.

The former Wolf stuffed the stat sheet Saturday, racking up 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and six steals.

The assist and steal totals are Stone’s best single-game marks while playing in the Kvinneligaen.

Her fellow countrywoman, Julie McCarthy, powered up for 17 points and 17 rebounds, as the American duo continue to pace Baerum.

Ullern gunner Malin Bjornsen led all scorers with 22 points, but it wasn’t enough to save her team, which slid to 3-6 on the year.

Stone has racked up an impressive set of stats in her second season of pro ball, with 169 points, 104 rebounds, 14 assists, 22 steals, and four blocks through her first nine games.

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