Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Steamboat girls coach John Ameen said he doesn’t use any motivational tricks. He doesn’t generate any radically different gameplan or install a series of special plays.

Whatever the Sailor girls do in the lockeroom at halftime most certainly works.

Steamboat rode a massive 22-point third quarter boom to a home victory Monday against Aspen. The Sailors won, 54-51.

“We never make that many adjustments be­­­sides telling them what they’re doing well and what they need to look for,” Ameen said. “The third quarter was tremendous. It was good we bounced back, showed perseverance and poise to come out as quick and determined as we did.”

Maybe Ameen was unaware of any magic ingredients, but Aspen coach Jeremy Haack had a pretty good idea what did his girls in.

He pointed directly to Steam­boat’s explosive duo of Hannah Moore and Tara Spitellie.

Spitellie had 21 points, and Moore had 19 points in the game. And each were huge in the second half.

Spitellie bombed a deep 3-pointer early in the second half that helped get things rolling.

Moore, meanwhile, threw down 14 of her points in the final two quarters.

Steamboat outscored Aspen, 22-8, in the third period, erasing a nine-point halftime deficit.

“In the first half, we did a great job of limiting their touches, but you really have to pick your poison with those two,” Haack said. “It was a great game all the way to the end.”

Aspen got a great game from junior Bailey Everhart, who led all scorers and set a career high with 27 points.

The Skiers had chances at the end of the game to potentially force a tie as Steamboat missed two free throw opportunities to push its lead to two possessions. Aspen couldn’t cash in, however, and Steamboat held on.

Game statistics

Steamboat 54, Aspen 51

■ Score by quarter

Aspen: 16-15-8-12 — 51

Steamboat: 10-12-22-10 — 54

■ Scoring

Aspen: Jonelle Berklund 4 2-4 10, Savannah Johnson 1 0-0 2, Anna Stevens 2 1-3 5, Riley Cook 1 0-0 2, Bailey Everhart 7 13-15 27, Hayley Kremer 2 0-0 5. Totals 17 16-22 51.

Steamboat: Hannah Moore 6 7-10 19, Alex Feeley 1 0-0 3, Sydney Bauknecht 1 0-0 2, Megan Stabile 1 0-0 2, Eryn Rinck 3 0-0 7, Katie Lettunich 2 0-0 4, Tara Spitellie 9 0-1 21. Totals 22 7-12 54.

■ 3-pointers

Aspen (1): Kremer.

Steamboat (5): Spitellie 3, Rinck, Feeley.