Gilman City's girls overcame horrific foul trouble as Avery Gregg and Alli Burke erupted in the third quarter to lift them past Princeton, a state quarterfinalist last year.
It was only the first game of the year, but the game was played with the kind of frantic intensity that is usually seen in a championship game or district contest. The first five minutes started off well for Gilman City, as Princeton got into early foul trouble and the Hawks were in the bonus in the first few minutes of the game. The score was 10-4 in their favor before Princeton started chipping away, closing to within 10-9 early in the second.
With Tenley Griffith mixing it up with the Princeton players at every opportunity and throwing one around like a rag doll during a jump ball scramble, Gilman City regained control as Alli Burke posted up inside and scored and Khloey Sperry scored from inside to make it 14-9.
Princeton closed to within 14-11 and then had a golden opportunity to take control when Avery Gregg picked up her third foul and sat. But Princeton struggled moving the ball and couldn't do anything against the Hawk defense, and the score was stuck at 14-11 for the next four minutes. Finally, it was the Hawks who made a run as Princeton fell asleep on defense and Khloey Sperry went to the rack. Princeton fell asleep again, and this time, Alli Burke went to the rack to make it 18-11 before Princeton got a steal and made it 18-13 at the half.
Khloey Sperry cleaned up on an Avery Gregg steal to start the second, and Avery Gregg scored off a Tenley Griffith steal to make it 22-14. The Hawk foul trouble continued to mount as Tenley Griffith fouled out and Avrey Gregg picked up her fourth fighting for a rebound. Last year, in a similar situation, Gilman City led by as much as seven in the third quarter against Princeton, only for the Blue Tigers to erupt in the fourth quarter and win. But once again, it was the Hawks who made a rally as Alli Burke scored off a drive and then added a 3-pointer from the wing. Avery Gregg came around a ball screen and knocked down a 3-pointer and added a putback and Alli Burke scored off a drive as Gilman City led 34-19 after three.
Avery Gregg got a ball screen from Khloey Sperry and hit a 3-pointer to start the fourth, prompting Princeton to put on the press. But Alli Burke slashed down the baseline and then Khloey Sperry, normally a leftie, took on the Princeton pressure with her right hand and dropped it off to Hailey McClure for a layup to make it 41-19. McClure had come in for Griffith when she fouled out.
Princeton finally started making its press tell as they rallied to within 41-26. They had a chance to get closer after forcing another turnover off their press but missed a close shot that would have made it 13. On the ensuing possession, nobody picked up Hailey McClure, who fed Khloey Sperry, who drew a foul and hit both free throws to stop the bleeding. Princeton hit a 3-pointer to cut it to 43-29, but Alli Burke aired one out to Sperry right before a Princeton player would have punched the ball out, and Sperry finished to make it 45-29. Princeton knocked one down from the wing to make it 45-31, only for sneaky Hailey to get behind the Princeton defense. Nobody picked her up and Alli Burke found her wide open to make it 47-31. Princeton closed to within 47-32 with a free throw, but Khloey Sperry went coast to coast for a layup and Avery Gregg drew a foul while scrambling for an offensive rebound and hit both free throws to close out the game.
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