Anna Gladstone Has Career Night, Propels Tiger Girls Into GRC West Hunt

Anna Gladstone had a career night with 28 points to propel the Tigers to a 59-41 win over Albany Tuesday. The other game, against Pattonsburg, was moved to the 31st due to inclement weather. She had a triple double for the night, as she had 10 boards and 10 tips. Everybody else chipped in and Worth County held off several Albany attempts to rally.

With the win, Worth County is now in position to become the GRC West Tri-Champions should they beat King City at home on January 29th and beat Pattonsburg on the road January 31st. North Andrew had beaten Worth County, and Worth County had beaten Stanberry earlier in the year, so Worth County had to become Stanberry’s biggest fans Tuesday night. The Bulldogs came through with a 53-37 win over North Andrew, with Madi Sager scoring 25 to lead Stanberry.

Neither game will be easy for Worth County, as King City shows an ability to keep coming at teams, while Pattonsburg, behind Webby Bailey, nearly erased a 20-point fourth quarter deficit, scored 31 in the fourth quarter against King City, and fell just short 70-68; Bailey has shown the ability to take over games for the rejuvenated Panthers.

Albany, at .500, was still a challenge for anyone with Gabby Newman carrying the team. They were down two players, as Kayce Messner and Paige Brown were out with injuries. But Abby Landon emerged as a reliable second scoring option for Albany, and kept them in the game in the first half.
Worth County got off to a fast start in Tuesday’s game. After twice nearly imploding similar to what they did in the Stanberry game in the tournament, they found their second wind in the fourth quarter as Albany’s lack of depth hurt them and they wore down.

The Tigers made a concerted effort to go inside, with Anna Gladstone hitting an inside shot and scoring a free throw off a drive. Jessi Badell, after missing a couple of early shots, hit two in the post and then Anna Gladstone’s tip and steal made it 9-5 after Landon had scored five quick points to put Albany up 5-2.

The teams traded buckets until Kristin New lobbed one into Jessi Badell, Anna Gladstone beat the Albany press with a layup, and Regan Allee added a free throw off a steal to make it 17-9. Landon scored backdoor for her ninth point of the quarter to make it 17-11, but then Kaylee McElvain, of all people, hit a 3-pointer, her first-ever in either varsity or junior high competition, to make it 20-11. But Albany fought back at the end of the quarter as Gabby Newman hit a guarded three and Sierra Anthony scored off a steal to make it 20-16 after one.

Newman carried the Warriors on her back to start the second, getting a free throw and then pulling up and hitting a 3-pointer to tie it at 20. Anna Gladstone got loose for a layup after Regan Allee stripped Newman, but Abbey Landon struck back with a three to make it 23-22. Michela Martin’s free throw gave Albany a 24-22 lead.

But then Anna Gladstone carried Worth County on her back the rest of the way, getting 10 points in the period as she would not let the Tigers drop a third straight after consecutive losses to Stanberry and North Andrew to finish the Stanberry Tournament. She cut inside and got a pass from Kristin New to tie it up at 24, and then Kristin New got a steal and got it to Anna. She blew past a green shirt, and a charge/block that could have been called either way went in Anna’s favor, and she hit two free throws to put Worth County in front 26-24. Anna Gladstone kicked out to Kaylee McElvain for one of her deadly baseline jumpers, Jessi Badell hit Gladstone inside, and Gladstone got a putback to make it 32-24.

But a buzzer-beater by Newman, that brought Albany back to within 32-27 at the half, swung the momentum back in the Warriors’ favor. As Worth County went scoreless for the first 4:08 of the third quarter, Abbey Landon scored a pair of free throws to chip away and bring the Warriors back to within 32-29. Jessi Badell hit a driving Anna Gladstone for two free throws, Worth County forced a five seconds call on the ensuing inbounds, and Merrideth Spiers hit Kristin New on a skip pass from the left block to the right wing for a 3-pointer to temporarily take Worth County out of danger at 37-29.

But then Newman carried the Warriors on her back again as she hit Sierra Anthony in transition, scored off a steal, and then hit Landon in transition as the Warriors closed to within 37-35. The turning point came next. Albany got another stop on defense and Gabby Newman had a wide open three-pointer as time was winding down in the third quarter that would have given the Warriors the lead. Anything might have happened, but Newman’s shot missed badly, Haley Hunt got a defensive board in the middle of the paint, and got it out to Anna Gladstone. She converted a 3-point play on the other end, and instead of Worth County being down one, they were up five again. Gladstone took on two green shirts and scored again, and once again the Tigers were out of danger up 42-35 after three.

By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the Warriors were worn down, their shots started missing badly, and Worth County started scoring again. Jessi Badell stripped an Albany player who had just gotten a board and got a layup, and Anna Gladstone got a steal to make it double digits at 46-35, forcing Albany into their fourth timeout. Kaylee McElvain scored on a drive to make it 47-35.
Gabby Newman hit two free throws to make it 47-37, but Kaylee McElvain hit Jessi Badell inside, and then Kaylee McElvain hit a 3-pointer, her second of the night off a pass from Kristin New, to provide the dagger. Anna Gladstone scored after Regan Allee got a steal and aired it out to her to make it 54-37.

Anna Gladstone had 28 points to lead the Tigers. Three hit double figures as Kaylee McElvain had 11 and Jessi Badell had 10. Kristin New had 6, Haley Hunt 2, and Merrideth Spiers and Regan Allee 1.

Anna Gladstone and Jessi Badell had 2 blocks, while Regan Allee and Haley Hunt had 1.

Anna Gladstone had 10 boards. Jessi Badell and Regan Allee had 6, Kaylee McElvain and Merrideth Spiers had 4, Haley Hunt 3, Kristin New and Jill Hardy 2, and Megan Cassavaugh 1.

Kristin New had 5 assists for Worth County. Regan Allee, Kaylee McElvain, and Anna Gladstone had 3, Jessi Badell 2, and Jill Hardy, Merrideth Spiers, Haley Hunt, and Megan Cassavaugh each had 1.

Anna Gladstone had 10 tips for Worth County. Kaylee McElvain had 5, Jessi Badell and Kristin New had 4, Regan Allee 3, and Jill Hardy 1.

Kristin New had 7 steals. Regan Allee had 5, Anna Gladstone 4, and Jessi Badell and Jill Hardy 1 each.