Free-wheeling Mountain View girls rebound, shoot for title

For Mountain View's girls basketball team, a rash of injuries and illnesses might have saved its season. Now the Saints are hoping to parlay that second chance into a state title.

Mountain View (23-6) will play Eureka in the first round of the Class 1A state tournament at 3 p.m. Friday at Spanish Springs High School in Sparks.

The Saints, who lost in last year's state semifinals, were rolling early before turmoil hit the squad. Coach Tom Van Kempen said the team lost girls to grades, and the players weren't getting along. Then came the injuries and illnesses.

"The sicknesses and injuries brought our team together," Van Kempen said. "The camaraderie increased. They came together as a team right in the nick of time."

The free-wheeling Saints will look to continue to do what they've done all season -- push the tempo and let the ball fly from about anywhere on the court.

"We don't know a shot we don't like," Van Kempen said.

The coach's daughter, Randall, leads the way, averaging 21 points per game. Junior Ellie Markwardt, who moved from Wisconsin, averages 20 points. Van Kempen and Markwardt have made more than 80 3-pointers.

"That's pretty good for a couple girls in 1A basketball," Tom Van Kempen said, noting he likes his team's first-round matchup.

"I know that our opponent had problems against the 1-3-1 full-court zone press," he said. "And that happens to be our specialty. I'm hoping that will really cause them a lot of confusion."

The Saints don't have much size, with 5-foot-11-inch Megan Smith providing the biggest body.

"They shoot them, and she rebounds them," Van Kempen said of Smith.

Without much size, the team relies on quickness and that outside shot.

"We love the fast, up-tempo teams," Tom Van Kempen said. "No one's been able to keep up with us all year. The only teams we've had trouble with are the big and strong (ones)."

Owyhee will play Pahranagat Valley in the other semifinal, at 6:20 p.m. Friday at Spanish Springs. The semifinal winners will play at 6:40 p.m. Saturday at Lawlor Events Center for the title.

The Class 3A and 2A girls state tournaments also begin Friday in the Reno area. Pahrump Valley will represent the Southern League in the Class 3A girls tournament, which tips off at 11 a.m. Friday at Lawlor Events Center.

The Trojans, who lost in last year's title game, will play Truckee (Calif.) at 11 a.m. Lowry will play Yerington in the other semifinal, at 2:20 p.m. The 3A title game is set for 3:20 p.m. Saturday.

The Class 2A semifinals are scheduled for North Valleys High in Reno. Needles (Calif.) will play Pershing County in the first semifinal at 3 p.m., with Battle Mountain playing Lincoln County in the other semifinal at 6:20. The championship game is scheduled for noon Saturday at Lawlor.