M-ettes and Poplar to meet

The Malta M-ettes picked up a pair of wins last weekend led by Sophia Stiles who scored 28 points in Malta's win over the Shelby Coyotes last Saturday, January 14 and a season high 36 points against the Glasgow Scotties last Friday, January 13 in Glasgow.

In their 54-33 win over Shelby, Malta made the most of their 21 forced turnovers, scoring 18, while only giving up seven points.

"It was good," senior Jada Nicholson said. "We worked hard and got lots of steals."

Many of the M-ettes were sick, including Stiles who was recovering from a flu earlier in the week.

"It was fine," Stiles said. "I just was a little more run down than I usually get. I had to come out in the third quarter and I was just a little tired."

Shay Garfield is listed at 5'10," but she gave up a couple of inches to Rachael Skiera, who is 6'0."

"There was a girl a few inches taller than me," Garfield said. "That girl and I battled back and forth. She was pretty tough."

Garfield noted that the team's win could be attributed to teamwork.

"We just have really good teamwork," Garfield said. "We always look for each other and nobody is selfish."

In the team's 61-32 win over Glasgow, Stiles had scored more points than Glasgow netted as a team. Stiles' 36 featured a strong outing on the free throw line in which Stiles was able to knock down 16-of-18 attempts (88 percent). Stiles also had eight rebounds, three steals, three assists and two blocks.

"My teammates have just been looking for me and getting lots of great assists," Stiles said. "I try not to screw up their stat lines and get the points for them."

Harms had seven points, 12 rebounds and two steals. Nicholson and Kyleigh Schipman both had six points. Raina Mortenson, Garfield and Taylor Gilkerson each had two points.

Malta got to the charity stripe for 34 attempts to Glasgow's 14. Malta made 25 of those attempts (73 percent). Malta also outrebounded Glasgow 42-25.

The M-ettes have been working on a few things since the turn of the New Year, but captains Stiles, Nicholson and Garfield have been trying to work on individual things.

"I try to drink more water," Stiles said. "It hasn't happened yet but starting tomorrow I'm drinking more water."

Nicholson shared one that may save her money in ticket fines in the future.

"Mine was to wear my seatbelt more," Nicholson said. "It's been going good."

Garfield then shared her resolution.

"Mine had been to get more sleep because if I don't get sleep, I get sick," Garfield said. "Before I got four hours and now I get eight."

Stiles also displayed her newest sneakers, which are Nike shoes designed by Kobe Bryant.

"I was going to switch it up last year but I was just too lazy to order some," Stiles said. "This year I actually had the coolest shoes. They came in the mail and I had them bedazzled. They were just shiny. I wore them to practice and the gems just started falling off. So I decided I can't wear those. The girls were just picking up gems through practice and handing them to me. It was just time for new shoes. Those other ones were getting old and my shoelace broke."