LA GRANDE, Ore. – After leading the Evergreen Geoducks to one of the top seasons in school history, outgoing women’s basketball head coach Monica Heuer will have one more plaque to decorate her administrative office as she has been named 2013-14 Cascade Conference Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday morning.

In addition to the recognition for Heuer, who is stepping away from the bench after 13 years leading the Geoducks, senior guard Sammi Clark (Monroe, Wash./Monroe HS/Edmonds CC) has been named All-CCC after earning honorable mention honors as a junior.

Heuer was honored by her colleagues around the conference after guiding Evergreen to a fifth-place finish in the regular season standings after being picked ninth in the preseason poll.  The Geoducks fell to eventual runner-up Southern Oregon in the first round of the CCC Championships presented by U.S. Bank but the impression left was large enough to earn the honor for the 13-year coach.

Clark earned first-team honors after leading the Geoducks in scoring with 15.0 ppg.  She also added 115 assists to her now school-record total of 290.  She finished her three-year career at Evergreen with 969 points to her name after playing her first collegiate season at Edmonds Community College.

Also honored for the Geoducks were senior Jessica Denmon (Oak Harbor, Wash./Oak Harbor HS/Skagit Valley CC) and junior Brittany Gray (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge HS/Skagit Valley CC), who both earned Honorable Mention honors.

Eastern Oregon’s Brittney Newcomb was named CCC Player of the Year after leading the conference in scoring at 22.8 ppg.  Corban’s Tara Vanweerdhuizen was named CCC Defender of the Year for the second straight season while Oregon Tech’s Ashley Vandenbrink was named Freshman of the Year by the conference coaches.

2013-14 All-Cascade Conference Women’s Basketball Team

ASHLAND, Ore. – Senior Sammi Clark (Monroe, Wash./Monroe HS/Edmonds CC) put up a team-high 22 points and senior Jessica Denmon (Oak Harbor, Wash./Oak Harbor HS/Skagit Valley CC) earned the double-double but the Evergreen Geoducks couldn’t advance in the conference tournament, falling to the Southern Oregon Raiders, 80-70, in the first round of the Cascade Conference Women’s Basketball Championships presented by U.S. Bank.

The Geoducks battled early as the teams traded the lead four times in the opening half as both squads looks evenly matched.  After Brittany Gray (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge HS/Skagit Valley CC) sunk a pair of free throws with 3:30 remaining in the first half, Southern Oregon would shut Evergreen out the rest of the way, just a 7-0 run to end the period and take a 37-28 lead into the break.

In the second half, the Geoducks cut the deficit to just three points less than two minutes in but after a Southern Oregon timeout, the Raiders used their size to go on a 12-0 run and push the lead to 15 points at 49-34 with 14:25 left to play.  The Geoducks fought back and pulled the differential back into single digits on a number of occasions but in the end, it was simply too much to overcome as Southern Oregon advance in the tournament with an 80-70 win.

The loss ends the 13-year career of Evergreen head coach Monica Heuer, who announced earlier this month that this season would be her last leading the Geoducks.  Assistant coach Jennifer Schooler takes over as interim head coach as Heuer will move into a full-time administrative role, continuing her position as assistant athletic director.

Evergreen was led by the 22 points from Clark, who was nine-of-24 from the field in her final collegiate game as she ended her career with 969 points in three seasons as a Geoduck, also chalking up a school-record 290 assists.  Denmon added 12 points to go with 14 rebounds as the 5-6 guard earned her fourth double-double of the season.  LaNiecia Weatherspoon (Seattle, Wash./Garfield HS/Yakima Valley CC) added 10 points off the bench but was whistled for five turnovers on the night.

Southern Oregon was led by 30 points from Autumn Durand.  Ashley Clausen added 14 points while Cambie Edwards put up 13 points in the win.  Reigning conference player of the week Allison Gida was held to just two points but she did her damage on the glass, bringing down 12 rebounds as SOU held a 56-41 rebounding advantage.  With the win, the Raiders advance to the CCC semifinals on Friday where they will play at top-seed Eastern Oregon.

The Geoducks conclude the 2013-14 season with a record of 14-12 overall and 10-8 in CCC play.  The number of wins is second in school history while the season is the most successful in school history in terms of winning percentage at .538.

Box Score

LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon Mountaineers overcame a halftime deficit to come back and defeat the Evergreen Geoducks, 63-60, in a Cascade Conference women’s basketball game on Saturday night at Quinn Coliseum in La Grande, Ore.

Neither team was able to take much control in the first half as the contest saw 10 lead changes over the first 20 minutes of the game.  Evergreen used an 11-2 run over the final 3:27 to take a four-point lead into halftime, up 36-32.

In the second half, a 6-0 run to open the half put Evergreen up by double-digits with 15:44 left to play.  EOU finally got its first points of the half with 14:09 left on the clock on a jumper by Kassy Larson.  The Mounties continued to chip away at the lead, pulling even with 3:19 left to go and Eastern would win the final minutes to earn the 63-60 win to clinch the regular season title.

Evergreen was led by 19 points and 10 rebounds from Brittany Gray (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge HS/Skagit Valley CC).  Jessica Denmon (Oak Harbor, Wash./Oak Harbor HS/Skagit Valley CC) and Sadee Jones (Belfair, Wash./North Mason HS) each added 10 points as the only Geoducks in double-digit scoring.  The Geoducks went without a three on the night, missing on all 15 attempts.

Eastern Oregon was led by 21 points from Brittney Newcomb.  Nicole Redd added 16 points as the only two Mountaineers in double-digit scoring.  EOU shot 47.8% from the field, including 11-of-24 from behind the three-point arc.

Despite the loss, the Geoducks are headed to the postseason for the third straight year.  Evergreen will be the fourth seed and will travel to fifth-seed Southern Oregon on Tuesday evening to open up the 2014 CCC Championship presented by U.S. Bank.  Tip with the Raiders is set for 7 p.m. at McNeal Pavilion.

Box Score

CALDWELL, Idaho – Keeping alive their chances of hosting a playoff game for the first time in program history, the Evergreen Geoducks picked up a big road win at College of Idaho, defeating the host Coyotes, 73-69, in a Cascade Conference women’s basketball game on Friday night at J.A. Albertson Center in Caldwell, Idaho.

In the first half, the Yotes took the initial lead but the Geoducks showed early that they were ready to play taking the lead at 4-3 and holding it until C of I tied it up at 22 all.  A 9-0 run gave Evergreen the 31-22 lead with 3:19 to go in the first half. The lead continued to grow, hitting 14 points at the break following a buzzer-beating jumper by Jessica Denmon (Oak Harbor, Wash./Oak Harbor HS/Skagit Valley CC) that put the halftime score at 29-25.

In the second half, College of Idaho came out and showed why they are among those receiving votes in the NAIA DII Top 25, cutting the gap to three points with 13:56 left to go.  Evergreen dug deep again and pushed the lead back into double-digits on a Brittany Gray (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge HS/Skagit Valley CC)  jumper with 5:50 left to play.

A steal and a three-pointer by Erica Martinez pulled C of I back within three-points with 46 seconds left.  With 10 seconds left, Denmon went to the line for the Geoducks, sinking a pair of free throws.  After the Yotes hit a pair of free throws with seven seconds left, Denmon hit a free throw to put the game out of reach as Evergreen earned their first win in Caldwell since 2005, 73-69.

Evergreen was led by 19 points from Denmon, including seven-of-eight on free throws.  Sadee Jones (Belfair, Wash./North Mason HS) added 15 points and 16 rebounds in the win while LaNiecia Weatherspoon (Seattle, Wash./Garfield HS/Yakima Valley CC) came off the bench to add 12 points.  Senior Sammi Clark (Monroe, Wash./Monroe HS/Edmonds CC) put up 11 points to round out the Geoducks in double-digit scoring.

College of Idaho was led by 18 points from Martinez.  Dayna Drager and Chakala Carthen each added 14 points with Carthen adding 10 rebounds for the double-double.  Elisha Hensey chalked up 13 points in the loss to round out the Yotes in double-digit scoring.

The Geoducks wrap up the regular season on Saturday night as they lead to La Grande to battle Eastern Oregon.  Tip with the Mountaineers is set for 5:30 p.m. at Quinn Coliseum.

Box Score