Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Maddy Faustlin Scores 16, Swipes 10; JH Bluejays Off to 3-0 Start

Northeast Nodaway’s junior high girls are off to a fast start this year, winning each of their first three games. Kynder Florea has been a constant for the Bluejays, getting 18 in one game and 13 in another. She continued that trend. But it is a sixth grader, Maddy Faustlin, who has been the pleasant surprise for the Bluejays. The daughter of Cammi (Hansen) Faustlin, who was a defensive stopper for the Bluejays in the late 2000’s, and a great-niece of Les New, who was a rebounding machine for the Tiger boys team which won a conference title in 1991, she has been playing travel ball, and her hard work is paying off on the basketball court. She had a double double, getting 16 points and 10 steals for the Bluejays Tuesday night, October 24th in NEN’s 37-2 win over North Nodaway. Kynder Florea scored 15, and Bristol Hicks and Lily McCampbell also chipped in.

The Bluejays got off to a slow start, only leading 3-0 at the 3:39 mark. But following a Florea free throw, Bristol Hicks scored four straight, grabbing a couple of offensive boards and then Faustlin scored off a steal. Hicks handed one off to Florea for the finish, and then Florea added a free throw as Northeast led 13-0 after one.

The Mustangs were shorthanded, playing without Eliza Clements (ankle), and they struggled to find the range against the Bluejays. They got their lone tally at the start of the second quarter when Pyper Smith found Zoey Phillips to cut it to 13-2. But then Faustlin took over, getting a drive and a pair of steals to push the Bluejay lead to 19-2. Florea went coast to coast to put the Bluejays in front 21-2 at the half.

At the start of the third, Bristol Hicks inbounded one to Kynder Florea, who drove and finished to start the half. Kynder got a handoff from Hicks and finished, Faustlin scored off a steal, Kynder Florea cut inside and got a pass from Faustlin to score, and then Lily McCampbell got on the board when Zoey Phillips knocked the ball away from Florea, but she got it back and fed Lily backdoor. A pair of drives by Faustlin, the second after Rylee Scadden had kept a possession alive with an offensive board, put the Bluejays up 35-2 and started the running clock. Florea scored off an inside shot after getting a pass from Scadden to start the fourth to round out the scoring.

Maddy Faustlin had 16 points to lead the scoring. Kynder Florea had 15, Bristol Hicks 4, and Lily McCampbell 2.

Kynder Florea had 5 boards. Bristol Hicks had 3, Kiley Yost 2, and Sadie Hall 1.

Bristol Hicks had 3 assists. Maddy Faustlin and Rylee Scadden had 2, and Kynder Florea 1.

Maddy Faustlin had 8 tips. Kynder Florea had 4, Rylee Scadden 2, and Bristol Hicks, Piper Gray, and Kiley Yost had 1.

Maddy Faustlin had 10 steals. Kynder Florea had 5, Piper Gray 3, and Lily McCampbell and Rylee Scadden 1 each.

For North Nodaway, Zoey Phillips had the lone two points.

Zoey Phillips and Pyper Smith had 4 boards each. Trynzlee Ebrecht and Taccoa Moyer had 1.

Piper Smith had 1 assist. Zoey Phillips had 4 tips and Trynzlee Ebrecht 1.

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