Hali Smith Nearly Gets Triple Double, JH Shamrock Girls Break Slump

Ava Rinehart had 21 points and Hali Smith nearly had a triple double, getting 11 points, 14 boards, and 8 blocks as North Harrison’s junior high girls broke a two game skid, beating East Harrison 35-11 Tuesday night, October 31^st. The boys game was canceled.

Rinehart scored right off the bat when Hali Smith was able to tip the opening tip right to her and she was able to finish. Taylor Whitaker tied it up with a coast to coast layup against the Shamrock press, but Hali Smith scored off a pair of steals to make it 6-2.

But slumps have a way of going away hard, and the Shamrocks battled foul trouble the rest of the quarter as Addison Milligan picked up her second foul. Leanna Thomas’ backdoor layup cut it to 6-4, but then Ava Rinehart got a steal, Hali Smith pushed it ahead, and fed Rinehart in the high post to make it 8-4 after one quarter.

Milligan came back and the offense looked sharper in the second quarter. Milligan got the ball into Rinehart inside, Hali Smith got down the right baseline for two, and Ava Rinehart scored in transition to make it 14-4. Khloe Ponjavic knocked one down from the right side for the Bobcats, but Hali Smith scored from the right side and Ava Rinehart scored a third chance putback to make it 18-6 before Taylor Whitaker cut it to 18-8 at the half.

Rinehart scored off a steal by Raegan Hogan and added a 3-pointer off a pass from Milligan to make it 23-8 as the Shamrocks made a big run in the third to put it away. Hali Smith went coast to coast after Jaelynn Polley got a defensive board and got her the ball, then Hali got one to Rinehart in transition. Hali then blocked a shot, caught the defensive board, and then went coast to coast to make it 29-8.

Rinehart picked up her fourth foul and Kali Wilson’s free throw cut it to 29-9, but Hali Smith got it to Addison Milligan to make it 31-9 after three. Rinehart came back and hit a 3-pointer after a Smith steal and then added a free throw before North Harrison subbed freely for the last five minutes. Kadence Lambert showed some spark in the closing minutes, making some hustle plays while she was out there.

Ava Rinehart had 21 points, Hali Smith 12, and Addison Milligan 2.

Hali Smith had a monster night on defense, getting 8 blocks for her team. With the Bobcat guard duo of Avarie Thompson and Taylor Whitaker constantly trying to bring it into the paint, she was there to reject or alter a good percentage of everything thrown up by the orange shirts.

Hali Smith had 14 boards. Ava Rinehart had 7, Raegan Hogan 3, Jaelynn Polley 2, and Addison Milligan, Kathryn Parkhurst, Bentley Glenn, Emily Parkhurst, Cassoday Richardson, and Kadence Lambert each had 1.

Hali Smith had 5 assists. Addison Milligan had 3 and Jaelynn Polley 2.

Ava Rinehart had 7 tips. Addison Milligan had 4, Hali Smith, Raegan Hogan, and Kadence Lambert 2, and  Jaelynn Polley, Lily Lane, Cassoday Richardson, and Kathryn Parkhurst 1 each.

Hali Smith had 6 steals. Addison Milligan had 5, Ava Rinehart and Raegan Hogan 4 each, and Emily Parkhurst and Kadence Lambert 1 each.