Saturday, December 4, 2021

Junior High Tiger Girls Post Defensive Gem Against King City

Worth County’s junior girls have had an up and down season this year, but Tuesday night, November 30th was a big up when they beat King City 28-12 in the Worth County Junior High Tournament. Worth County went on to lose to a much taller Albany squad 16-9 for the tournament title, but they finished second in their home tournament and showed a lot of improvement for the year. 

Kristen Tracy had 12 points and 11 boards for a double double, while Rylee Ruckman added 11 points and 5 steals. Rayleigh Smith added six boards and two blocks; she didn’t score, but she altered a ton of shots in the paint and played her best game as a Tiger. Kambree Briner added 2. 

But the most impressive stat was the 19 straight defensive stops that the Tigers made from the 3:32 mark of the first quarter to the last minute of the second. By that time, they had built up a 12-4 lead.

The one danger sign was Rylee Ruckman picking up her third foul on a charge/block situation; she sat out the third quarter. But the rest of the squad got four stops to start the period as they build up their lead to 15-4. King City then put on a full court press and Worth County started turning the ball over as the Wildkats closed to within 15-7. But the Tigers never stopped playing defense, and they were still in control of the game when Ruckman came back in to start the fourth.

Ruckman knocked down a 3-pointer with 4:17 left to make it 20-9. Beatrix Bowden, who had kept King City in the game all night, responded with a three point play, but then Ruckman knocked down a shot in the high post to reestablish double digits at 22-12. King City had to start fouling, and Kristen Tracy hit her free throws down the stretch, going four for six.


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