Ready for Bearcats: Elk City teams host Hobart

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Published on Friday, 10 February 2012 13:39

By Derek Brown
Daily Elk Citian

The Elkettes hope to shake their five game losing streak and get their first home win tonight against Hobart. 

Elk City has played the Lady Bearcats twice this season. The Elkettes were not able come out on top of either of the games falling 51-33 in Hobart and lost 47-39 at the Carnegie Tournament. 

"It's another game we can compete in and another game that we should have an opportunity to win," said Garrette Mantle, Elk City head coach. "I just feel like our girls basketball team has gotten so much better as the year has gone along."

The Elkettes are 3-17 on the year as Hobart is 13-7.

The first time these two teams met, Brianna Hollister scored 14 points on the Elkettes and Tamara  Wooster put in 15 points against the Elkette defense.

"We did really concentrate on the two of them in the second game," said Mantle. "They've really got four or five girls that can all put it in the basket. That makes them a little harder to cover."

The Elkettes are coming off of a 49-43 loss to Cache at home. It was a game that Mantle thought the girls should have won. 

Elk City is 0-6 at home and Hobart is 3-2 on the road. 

"I just feel like it's a game that we should come out on top on," said Mantle. "I just think it's in our gym and it's a game that we need to win. It's our time to win one of these."

BOYS

The Big Elks have played Hobart once this year early on in the season. Elk City was all over the Bearcats 61-36.

Tonight the Elks will host Hobart for the second meeting. 

The Big Elks are 7-13 coming into the game and Hobart is 7-11. Elk City has won 2 out of 6 games that they have played in the Pioneer Center. Hobart is 1-4 on the road. 

"I think it's always an advantage to play at home," said Mantle. "It's good to play at home."

Fletcher Reed scored 12 points on the Big Elk defense in the previous meeting. Kelcey Marsh and JJ Ward both scored eight points against Elk City.

"They've got a group that's kind of interchangeable," said Mantle. "Number four (Reed) is kind of a young man that's a streaky shooter. He can get going behind the arc if you're not careful. So we sure need to be aware of him."

Even though Elk City beat Hobart by 25 points, this game could have a much closer final score.

"They're a lot better than the first time that we played them," said Mantle. "They're much improved. It's not going to be an easy game. I told our guys in the film room that it's going to be a game that won't come as easy to you as you think it's going to."