Kynder Florea Hits 15; Swarming Bluejay Defense Drops Hawks 51-22

Kynder Florea hung 15 points on Gilman City Monday and a swarming Bluejay defense did the rest, collecting 40 tips and 24 steals in a 51-22 win over the Hawks. Baylie Busby had another crazy stat line in the game. Just one week ago, Katelyn Jones (Pattonsburg) had 21 points, 10 boards, 12 tips, and 12 steals for a quadruple double. Busby did one better, getting 12 points, 10 boards, 10 assists, 11 tips, and 10 steals for a quintuple double. Gilman City has one of the best on the ball defenders in the area in Avery Gregg; she held Busby to eight points below her average. But Busby set everybody else up as six Bluejays had five or more points one game after Busby went off for 32 against Stanberry. 

They were pitted against one of the most physical post players in the area in Khloey Sperry. Sperry, a cousin to Daltyn and Drake Sperry of Pattonsburg, was relentless all night, going to the rim, viciously fighting for every rebound, pushing the ball up the floor at every opportunity, and sacrificing her body to blow up plays on defense for the Hawks. The scary thing about it is she is only a sophomore and will only get better if she stays healthy and the team stays together. She did all she could for the Hawks, getting 14 points and 13 boards. 

Avery Gregg got loose in transition after Khloey Sperry got a steal for the Hawks to start the game. It was a ragged start as both teams are good at taking the ball away and neither team was letting the other get into any kind of rhythm. Finally, Blair Nelson got loose on the wing after a pass from Baylie Busby, Hadley DeFreece scored off a steal, Busby knocked down a baseline shot, Skyler Florea hit a free throw, and Hayley Yost scored from inside off a pass from Busby to make it 9-2 at the 2:57 mark.

Last year, Northeast raced out to a 14-2 lead over the Hawks, only for them to come back and win during the Bluejays' slump. The Hawks hung around for a while as Gregg hit a 3-pointer. But the Bluejays started pulling away after Shelby Gibson, the most physical player on Gilman City's squad after Khloey Sperry, started getting into foul trouble. Hayley Yost scored a free throw to make it 10-5 after one after Gregg had hit a 3-pointer for the Hawks.

Khloey Sperry scored from inside to get untracked and make it 10-7, but Busby hit Blair Nelson for three, Skyler Florea knocked one down from the right wing off a pass from Hadley DeFreece, and Busby hit Hadley DeFreece for three to make it 18-7. Busby scored off a steal to make it 20-7.

But the scoreboard didn't matter for Sperry, who kept attacking the rim and finally drew Skyler Florea's third foul. She made one of two to make it 20-8. Kynder Florea got on the board and Busby converted another steal, but Sperry scored four straight to make it 24-12. 

Last year's game had started off like that; Northeast got the big early lead, but Gilman kept hanging around and eventually came back and won. Sperry went coast to coast and got the benefit of a charge/block call and made one of two to make it 24-13, but this time, Busby drew Gibson's third foul grabbing an offensive board and made both free throws. Then, Kynder Florea went off for the Bluejays after the Hawks had switched to a zone to try to get more bodies to contain Busby. Kynder hit her first triple to make it 29-13. Kelsey Sperry cut it to 29-15, but then Kynder hit her second 3-pointer, Hadley DeFreece scored off a steal, and Kynder Florea hit her third triple to make it 37-15, forcing Gilman City out of their zone. 

Alli Burke hit a free throw and Khloey Sperry hit two free throws, but Hayley Yost got untracked inside for the Bluejays as they led 41-18 after three.

Hadley DeFreece got a tip and Baylie Busby got a steal to start the fourth and then Skyler Florea got a putback. Khloey Sperry kept hitting for Gilman City, bringing them to within 45-22, but then Baylie Busby slashed to the rim after Hadley DeFreece saved an offensive board at half court and Kynder knocked down four straight points.

For Northeast, Kynder Florea had 15 points. Baylie Busby had 12, Hayley Yost and Hadley DeFreece had 7, and Skyler Florea and Blair Nelson 5 each.

Skyler Florea had 2 blocks.

Baylie Busby had 10 boards. Skyler Florea had 9 despite playing with foul trouble much of the night trying to guard Khloey Sperry. Hayley Yost and Blair Nelson had 4, Hadley DeFreece and Sasha Deardorff had 2, and Bristol Hicks, Mylee Wilmes, and Kynder Florea had 1.

Baylie Busby had 10 assists. Hadley DeFreece had 4 and Mylee Wilmes had 1.

Baylie Busby had 11 tips. Hadley DeFreece had 7, Blair Nelson had 6, Kynder Florea 5, Skyler Florea and Bristol Hicks 3, and Sasha Deardorff and Mylee Wilmes 1.

Baylie Busby had 10 steals. Hadley DeFreece had 5, Kynder Florea 3, Sasha Deardorff and Hayley Yost 2, and Skyler Florea and Bristol Hicks 1.

For Gilman City, Khloey Sperry had 14, Avery Gregg 5, Kelsey Sperry 2, and Alli Burke 1. 

Khloey Sperry had 1 block.

Khloey Sperry had 12 boards. Kelsi Sperry had 5 boards, Alli Burke 4, Colbi Webb 3, Shelby Gibson 3, Avery Gregg 2, and Pyper Taggart 1.

Avery Gregg had 3 assists. Kelsi Sperry had 2 and Khloey Sperry, Alli Burke, Colby Webb, Shelby Gibson, and Riah Crump had 1 each.

Shelby Gibson, Avery Gregg, and Khloey Sperry all had 3 tips. Alli Burke and Caitlynn Chalfant each had 2, and Riah Crump and Pyper Taggart 1.

Kelsey Sperry and Khloey Sperry had 3 steals. Avery Gregg had 2 and Shelby Gibson, Colbi Webb, and Riah Crump had 1.