COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. — It was a successful first home game of the 2025 season for Cottage Grove girls basketball (2-0) as the Lions ran visiting Scio (0-2) out of town Friday by a 30-point margin.
Senior point guard Mariah Bailey earned player of the game honors for the second time in as many contests after a 27-point scoring performance, including 23 points in the second half.
Bailey was coming off a game in which she broke the 4A state record for 3-pointers made in a single game, hitting nine on Tuesday at Newport.
“I felt pretty good. I had a slow start, but I’m in a new role this year. Last year, I was just a shooting guard, but this year I’m a point guard, so I kind of have to do everything,” Bailey said. “I have to facilitate; my coaches want me to score. I felt great. I’m really proud of this team.”
Forward Makya Alsup, the other half of the senior scoring tandem, was dominant in the paint, finishing with 18 points while leading the team with 11 at halftime.
Alsup produced despite fouling out early in the fourth quarter and playing much of the third in foul trouble.
“I have a lot of confidence in her… she’s a smart girl, she plays smart,” Lions head coach Kim Beer said. “She played well that game. We count on her a lot.”
For Beer, it was just his second game as head coach at Cottage Grove after departing La Pine High School last season. With the win, it marked the first time since 2023 that a Cottage Grove girls team began the season 2-0.
Cottage Grove briefly trailed after the opening possession on a 3-pointer by Scio junior Honor Bagnall. Bagnall led Scio with 11 points, but after the early lead change, the Lions never trailed again.
Cottage Grove held Scio to just one field goal in the first quarter and took a 12-4 lead after eight minutes. The teams traded eight points each in the second, leading to a 20-12 halftime score.
Scio cut the deficit to 23-17 early in the third, but Bailey and Alsup responded quickly. The duo accounted for 30 of Cottage Grove’s 35 second-half points and pushed the margin to 55-25 at the final buzzer.
Through two games, Cottage Grove has won by 34 points against Newport (61-27) and now 30 more against Scio.
The Lady Lions' next test is as hosts against Sweet Home (1-1) on Dec. 9 at 5:45 p.m.
