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Focal point
For high-flying Hawk Kassi Conditt, a new season means a new challenge at La Pine
By Beau Eastes / The Bulletin
Published: February 08. 2010 4:00AM PST
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La Pine's Kassi Conditt is averaging more than 17 points a game for La Pine's girls basketball team, which is the defending Class 4A state champion.
Rob Kerr / The Bulletin
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During a typical game, La Pine High senior post Kassi Conditt has a pair of hands in her face and another set on her back.
A first-team all-state selection last season after she led the Hawks to the Class 4A girls basketball state title, Conditt this year is the focal point of every opponent's defense. But despite facing double- and even triple-team coverage every game, the 6-foot-1-inch Conditt is averaging a team-high 17.5 points per contest.
“It's really more impressive (than the 17 points she averaged last year),” says La Pine coach Kim Beer. “She's a better player. ... She has a big target on her back and she's still able to come up with the same stats.”
Without graduated point guard Maria Ramirez, the 2009 4A player of the year, distributing the ball, Conditt is creating her own shot more this season. She has added a few low-post moves, and her dribbling has improved, says Beer.
“Last year she was set up a lot when Maria drove (the lane),” Beer recalls. “Kassi's having to create more this year. She's gotten better handling the ball ... and creating shots that way. This year she's more well-rounded.”
One of two starters back from last year's state title team — senior forward Casey Wright is the other — Conditt has led La Pine to a 13-8 overall record this season. But the Hawks are just 4-5 in Sky-Em League play, and with three league games remaining they are in fifth place in the Sky-Em and in danger of missing the state playoffs.
“I have complete faith we'll make the postseason,” says Conditt, who in January was named a McDonald's All-American nominee.
(The Sky-Em League's top two teams at the end of the regular season are awarded automatic playoff berths into the 4A state playoffs. For the league's third and final berth, a playoff takes place between the third-, fourth- and fifth-place teams. If the season ended today, fifth-place La Pine would play fourth-place Sisters for the right to play third-place Junction City for the Sky-Em's final state postseason berth.)
“It's tough but rewarding,” Conditt says about commonly having to deal with multiple defenders assigned to guard her. “It's more of a challenge and it makes me step up my game.”
All of which should help Conditt — who also is an accomplished volleyball player and track athlete — to reach her goal of playing basketball at the college level.
After the Hawks' dream season last year — La Pine went 25-3 and defeated league-rival Cottage Grove 40-32 in the 2009 state title game — Beer and Conditt both knew the 2009-10 campaign could prove to be challenging. Wright and Conditt were the only returning starters, and the majority of the Hawks who would be seeing major minutes this season had only junior varsity experience.
“It's a different team,” Conditt says. “Not a worse team, but different. We've got a lot of younger players who didn't get a lot of time last year.”
La Pine won nine of its 12 nonconference games this season but has struggled in league play. A three-game winning streak at the end of January improved the Hawks' Sky-Em record to 5-3, but two straight losses have put them under .500 again.
“We've got to be smart toward the end of games,” says Conditt, whose team has been outscored 32-13 in the fourth quarter its last two contests. “We tend to panic a bit. Our execution has to be a lot better than that.”
Despite their recent skid, the Hawks still have a shot at the postseason. One win in their last three regular-season games assures them a spot in the Sky-Em League playoffs, which would put them two victories away from a return to the state postseason.
“We've got a lot of drive, but we just don't know how to finish games yet,” says Conditt, who in a nonleague win over Astoria in December scored a career-high 32 points. “But we're figuring it out, and we'll upset some people.”
Beau Eastes can be reached at 541-383-0305 or at beastes@bendbulletin.com.
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