Saryn Brown and Lauren Herndon had career nights Monday as the Mustangs held off Union Star 62-47 in the Platte Valley Invitational. Union Star, long a doorman in the PVC and the 275, has suddenly shown some improvement, winning some games down the stretch including a 62-59 win over the Mustangs last year. This year, the improvement continued for the Trojans, with the tall guards Mara Mitchell and Kelly Clibon able to break down defenses at will, Audrey Hodge developing into a quality post player, and Zoey McQuate, Paisley McQuate, and Journey Lyons chipping in from long distance. Clibon, Hodge, and the McQuate girls all return next year, which will give the dangerous Kenzie Pettijohn something to work with when she turns a freshman next year.
But after Jacquelyn Cline picked up two fouls three minutes into the game, the rest of the Mustangs ensured that a repeat of last year would not happen. With Cline on the bench, Kelsi Barcus got loose in transition, Saylor Brown got loose for three, Lauren Herndon scored from inside, and Saylor added a free throw to put the Mustangs in front 11-6 after one.
Saylor Brown went coast to coast to start the second to make it 13-6, but Union Star hung around. North Nodaway was hacking and fouling, with Union Star keeping it within 4-7 points. After Zoey McQuate’s triple cut the Trojan deficit to 20-17, Cline returned, fueling a Mustang run as Saryn Brown hit from the wing after an Angeline Parker kickout, Jacquelyn Cline, in a repeat of her play against North Harrison, knocked a ball loose which rolled along the sideline and somehow stayed inbounds. She scooped it up and fed Saryn for the finish. Lauren banked home a triple to make it 27-17. But then Mitchell slashed to the rim twice to cut it to 27-21 at the half.
The good thing about the score was that North Nodaway had overcome 10 offensive boards, 10 turnovers, and a scoreless first half from Cline to get the lead. They played much better in the second half, and Cline stayed on the floor. Saryn Brown’s four point play after a skip from Cline finally gave North Nodaway some separation at 35-26, and Brown continued to carry the Mustangs on her back for much of the third quarter. Union Star got into some foul trouble of their own as Clibon picked up her fourth foul and sat much of the period.
Saryn Brown picked up her fourth foul, but the lead grew to 45-32 after Saylor Brown got a steal and fed Lauren Herndon for a three point play. Kelsi Barcus cut inside for a three point play to start the fourth to make it 47-34. Clibon came back and started hitting, the Trojans started swarming and pressing, and they got their deficit back to 49-40. But the fouls mounted for the Trojans and Hodge fouled out and Clibon followed her to the bench soon after as the Mustangs built back their lead and bled the clock. Cline, Saylor Brown, and Lauren Herndon dribbled countless seconds off the clock, Herndon scored six points down the stretch, and Parker added a putback as the Mustangs were able to pull away in the final five minutes and led by as much as 17.
Saryn Brown had 22 points for the Mustangs, a career high; her previous high was 17 set twice last year. Lauren Herndon had 18 points, matching a career high, and adding 9 steals. Saylor Brown had 7, as did Jacquelyn Cline. Kelsi Barcus had 5, Angie Parker 2, and Ellaina Renfro 1.
No comments:
Post a Comment