Piper Bauer brings leadership and scoring to Peninsula basketball

Things have obviously been different for the Peninsula High School girls basketball team after the departure of Belle Frazier.

Last year, the Seahawks finished 18-6 with a trip to the Tacoma Dome. So far this year, they are sitting at 5-7 after suffering some injuries and a tough early season schedule.

With the absence of Frazier, the best defenders on opposing teams are focusing their attention on Linsey Lovrovich and Piper Bauer. And even though both have stepped up their game on the court, it has really shown with Bauer.

“The season has been a little shaky in the beginning, our record is not where we want it,” said the junior point guard. “But I think the second half of league is going to be a lot better. I think myself and us as a team are going to surprise a lot of teams the next time we play them.”

Bauer has stepped up her game as the team leader and one of the captains for the Seahawks. She has been lighting up the scoreboard on the court, averaging 17.1 points per game so far this season.

A lot of her success starts with the dedication she has to the team and her teammates. Much like another famous Seahawk, Bauer is the first to practice and the last to leave.

“She’s worked on her game so much in the offseason. She has spent countless hours in the gym,” said coach Mike Schick. “I’ll be leaving the gym after practice is over, and 15 or 30 minutes later, she’s still in there working on it… It’s not something that’s come overnight or easy by any means, she’s continued to work on her craft for countless hours and hours.”

Even when she is not in Peninsula’s gym, Bauer and her family will find a hoop and shoot. More often than not, the Bauer family will go to the YMCA twice a day. There, Bauer will shoot about 1,000 shots with her parents rebounding for her.

All of that practice has helped Bauer raise her three-point percentage and maintain her already high free throw percentage as well. But what she would really like to work on is getting in the paint a little more.

“I’m trying to work on getting in the paint more than last year to get more free throws,” she said. “My free throw percentage isn’t terrible, but I am trying to get to the line more.”

Bauer has taken up the role of being the do-all player for the Seahawks as well. Sometimes, she will be the one bringing the ball down the court and setting up plays.

Other times, she is the one making the shots when there needs to be a basket scored for her team. And more often than not, she is getting those points through jump shots.

“She is primarily a jump shooter. She will attack the basket in a methodical sense,” Schick said. “She reminds me a lot of Manu Ginobli with his craftiness, but she has a much better three point shot than him. She has that European style game to her. She is absolutely deadly from [the three point line].”

One of Bauer’s deadliest shots is a one dribble, pullup which creates space for her to drain the bucket from a midrange area. It has become a go-to since many of the opponents like to chase her off of the three point line.

But if she has her opportunity to shoot a three, then Bauer will take it. She has been extremely effective from there, hence all the training with her family at the YMCA. In one of her last games against Timberline, she dropped 34 points with 6-for-11 shooting beyond the line.

As she has become a top scorer for the Seahawks, she has become a leader of the team as well. Bauer has developed a really good relationship with all of them.

“I try and be a leader on off the floor. I have a good relationship with everyone on the team,” she said. “I feel like the chemistry this year with each other is way better than it has been in the past. We’re just getting along a lot better.”

Bauer has had to be a little more vocal this year with her team, as the responsibility of team captain has fallen to her. With Frazier graduated, Bauer has been the one to round the girls up and lead by example and teach them things while on the court.

She also holds all of her teammates responsible and accountable. She wants her team to succeed and if that involves staying late getting her teammates to understand concepts and schemes, then she does it.

“She tries to get girls to stay later after practice and she’ll work with them on stuff or do more shooting with them,” Schick said. “She’ll try to get them to the YMCA with her. It’s trying to understand what the bigger picture and overall goal is… She’s bought into [our] mentality. She hates to lose more than she loves to win.”

Bauer and her Seahawk teammates will try to continue improving on their season with their next home game against Yelm. They meet up at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24 at Peninsula High School.

This story was originally published January 23, 2020 at 6:00 AM.