Matthew Will
Sports Editor
For just the second time in over two decades, the Butler Grizzlies women’s basketball team became Jayhawk East Conference champions. Butler cruised in their regular season finale, defeating Coffeyville 67-42 on Saturday, Feb. 23.
Scoring was held to a minimum in the first quarter as the teams combined for just five points in the opening five minutes of the game. As the game approached the end of the first, both teams began to heat up, Butler taking a 15-7 lead into the end of the first quarter.
Butler slowly increased their lead, sinking three three-pointers in the second quarter, outscoring Coffeyville 19-9 in the second quarter. As Butler retuned to the locker room with a 34-16 lead, the taste of a conference championship inched closer and closer.
It was the third quarter that Coffeyville played their best basketball of the quarter. While Butler still outscored the Red Ravens by five, Coffeyville held Butler to only one three-pointer and 4-for-13 from the field. The Grizzlies maintained their lead, taking a 50-27 lead into the final quarter.
Coffeyville scored 15 in the fourth quarter, but the defense failed them. Butler started subbing out the sophomore in the closing minutes, the Grizzly fans voicing their appreciation for the 2018-19 team.
As the final horn sounded, Butler head coach Mike Helmer looked to the rafter, smiling from ear to ear.
“Our girls worked really hard,” Helmer said. “We had a few ups and downs but if you told me we were going to finish 25-4, I’ll take that every year.”
Butler, who shot 25-for-63 (40.3 percentage) from the floor, found a lot of success from beyond the three-point line. Sophomore guard Jalise Smallwood led the three-point assault with three made attempts. Freshman forward Criste’On Waters and sophomore Kyla Callins controlled the glass, each grabbing eight rebounds. Butler outrebounded Coffeyville 48-19.
Waters and Smallwood joined freshman guard Camille Downs as the leading scorers for Butler, each with nine points apiece. Sophomore Tatiana McCree led all scorers with 14 points for Coffeyville.
Butler’s conference championship was the first one since 2014, the only other time in Helmer’s tenure.
The 2018-19 postseason campaign began on Saturday, March 2 as Butler participates in the Region VI Tournament in Park City. Butler’s first opponent was Pratt Community College at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 2. If they won, the semifinals took place Monday, March 4 followed by the championship game on Wednesday, March 6.
