Woodcreek, minus four starters, stuns Roseville

That it was Sarah Sheefel who made the game-winning 3-pointer to give Woodcreek High a 50-48 girls basketball win over Roseville on Thurs-day was no big shock, considering her penchant for long-range shooting.What was harder to figure was that the Timberwolves would even be in position to win the Sierra Foothill League encounter in the final moments in their diminished state. Four starters - forwards Amanda Eccleston and Gina Eccleston, post Kim Albers and guard Nicole Saari - not only weren't in uniform, they weren't even in Woodcreek's gymnasium.Timberwolves' coach Raymond Beck was vague about their absences, saying only that some of them could return to the team before the end of the season. But for one night at least, Woodcreek (8-15, 2-8) managed fine behind holdovers Sheefel and Danielle Lassiter, and a host of other players who previously received limited court time.Lassiter's 19 points were equal to the 19 Natasha Ekunwe scored for Roseville (11-12, 4-6). Sheefel's game-winner with 11.8 seconds left provided the last of her 11 points.The rest of the Timber-wolves' scoring was spread among Amanda Wardelman, Sapna Paintal and Ali Hitch, who filled out Woodcreek's starting lineup, and reserve Amy Rubin. More than that, the group combined to play aggressive defense, particularly on Tigers' point guard Gretchen Tiernan, who had just 10 points with Hitch providing the first line of defense."The girls made plays. There wasn't any magic formula," said Beck, whose team led nearly from start to finish, including a 29-19 advantage at halftime.But as has often been the case in Woodcreek's run of eight losses in its previous nine games, its opponent stormed back into the mix after the break. A Tiernan layup eventually gave Roseville a 48-47 lead with 1:48 remaining, setting the stage for Sheefel's heroics."I told them (Woodcreek's fill-ins) would play harder than they ever did," Roseville coach Corey Fukuman said. "Either (the Tigers) didn't believe me, or we just didn't match their intensity."