A scoop shot putback and three-point play by freshman Tenley Griffith sparked Gilman City's girls to the Gallatin Tournament title Saturday as the play broke up a tight game and propelled the Hawks to a 58-40 win over North Harrison. For the Shamrocks, in their first tournament championship since 2021, when they made it to district finals, their Cinderella run fell short after an impressive win over Braymer and a squeaker over Polo. For Gilman City, Khloey Sperry and Alli Burke were named to the All-Tournament team, while Avery Gregg was named MVP. For North Harrison, Lani Briggs, who had a career night against Braymer, was named to the squad.
The Hawks were locked in a tight battle with North Harrison after three quarters, clinging to a 36-33 lead. North Harrison had come a long way since last year, when the Hawks doubled them up in districts on their way to a district title. But on the first play of the fourth quarter, Griffith grabbed an offensive board, scooped it home, drew a foul, and converted the free throw to make it 39-33. With Jaxcynn Hansel, North Harrison's best rebounder, picking up her fourth foul during that stretch, Khloey Sperry got loose in transition and Avery Gregg fed her the ball after Griffth got Avery a quick outlet. Sperry added a free throw, and Hailey McClure, playing her best game of the year so far, knocked down a 3-pointer to make it 45-33.
North Harrison tried to rally after Khloey Sperry picked up her fourth foul. Ava Rinehart hit a 3-pointer, and Hali Smith hit a couple of tough shots to cut the Shamrock deficit to 48-40 at the 3:44 mark. But Khloey Sperry went beast mode down the stretch, scoring on an inside shot after Griffith inbounded it to her and then cleaned up a miss in transition to give the Hawks a double-digit lead again at 52-40. Avery Gregg closed out the game, scoring off a pair of steals and getting a pair of free throws for the Hawks.
After North Harrison had dominated on the boards in the early going, Gilman City fought back and came close to equalizing the rebounding margin by the end of the game. Defensively, the Shamrocks held down Sperry and kept her off the boards as well as anyone in the last two years before she went off in the fourth quarter.
Gilman City's girls came to the game dressed in business suits, trying to outdress the competition. But it was the Shamrocks, after struggling to finish possessions all night against Polo in their 32-25 semifinal win, who had Gilman City down for the count after Jaxcynn Hansel hit two free throws, Hali Smith got a putback, and Lani Briggs hit a 3-pointer to make it 7-1 early. Alli Burke answered the call for the Hawks, getting consecutive 3-pointers to bring it back to within 10-7. Khloey Sperry finally got going, scoring four straight points to put the Hawks in front 11-10 before Hali Smith and Lani Briggs slashed to the rim to put the Shamrocks back in front 14-11 after one.
Tenley Griffith ripped away an offensive board and rolled it on the floor to Avery Gregg for three to start the second quarter. Sperry added a free throw to put the Hawks in front 15-14 before Jaxcynn Hansel got loose in transition to make it 16-15 for the Shamrocks. Avery Gregg drove around a screen and hit a 3-pointer before Khloey Sperry got a steal, only to get clotheslined by Hali Smith trying to convert. Sperry was shaken up but made one of two to make it 19-16. North Harrison hung around, with Ava Rinehart and Lani Briggs slashing to the basket to cut it to 21-20, but Khloey Sperry pushed it ahead to Alli Burke for three in transition, Avery Gregg added another, and then got a steal and drive to make it 29-20 at the half.
But North Harrison started fighting back in the third quarter, with Jaxcynn Hansel getting a transition pass from Lani Briggs after Hansel started the break with a rejection. Lani Briggs hit her third triple of the afternoon to cut it to 29-25. Alli Burke converted inside to make it 31-25, but Hali Smith hit a 3-pointer and Gracie Young came off the bench and scored to cut it to 31-30. Tenley Griffith got a putback to put the Hawks back up 33-30, only for Jaxcynn Hansel to convert a 3-point play and draw Khloey Sperry's third foul to knot it at 33. Khloey Sperry hit a free throw to break the tie, and following a stop, Alli Burke aired it out to Sperry to make it 36-33 going into the fourth quarter.
For North Harrison, Lani Briggs had 13, Hali Smith 11, Jaxcynn Hansel 9, Ava Rinehart 5, and Gracie Young 2.
Jaxcynn Hansel had 5 blocks. Addison Milligan and Ava Rinehart had 1.
Jaxcynn Hansel had 12 boards. Hali Smith had 11, Addison Milligan 7, Gracie Young 5, Lani Briggs 4, Ava Rinehart 2, and Raegan Hogan 1.
Hali Smith had 4 assists. Ava Rinehart and Lani Briggs had 2 and Jaxcynn Hansel and Addison Milligan had 1.
Lani Briggs, Hali Smith, and Ava Rinehart had 1 tip each. Jaxcynn Hansel had 3 steals while Hali Smith had 2 and Lani Briggs 1.
For Gilman City, Avery Gregg had 18 points. Khloey Sperry had 17, Alli Burke 11, Tenley Griffith 7, Hailey McClure 3, and Paisley Taggart 2.
Khloey Sperry had 1 block.
Tenley Griffith had 11 boards. Khloey Sperry had 10, Alli Burke 7, Hailey McClure 5, Avery Gregg 4, and Paisley Taggart 3.
Avery Gregg had 6 assists. Khloey Sperry had 4, Alli Burke 3, and Tenley Griffith 2.
Avery Gregg had 7 tips. Tenley Griffith had 6, Alli Burke 4, and Paisley Taggart, Hailey McClure, and Khloey Sperry had 1.
Avery Gregg and Khloey Sperry had 4 steals. Tenley Griffith and Alli Burke had 3.
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