By Staff
HOISINGTON – After trailing much of the game, the Smoky Valley girls rallied in the final quarter and a half on the road at Hoisington to earn a hard fought 43-39 win.
Now 3-3 for the season, the Lady Vikings will be off for a week before going on the road next Tuesday for a battle with Class 2A fourth-ranked Hillsboro.
Smoky Valley found themselves down by four, 14-10, at the end of the first quarter and behind by seven at 25-18 heading into the halftime break before bouncing back in the third quarter a chipping away at the deficit until they ended the third in a 31-31 tie.
The Lady Vikings then out scored the home folks by four in the final quarter to gain the final four-point victory.
Katja Blanchat led the Lady Vikings in scoring with 19 points while just missing out on recording a double-double with nine rebounds. Adrian Hazelwood also nearly scored a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds to go along with passing out four assists and making a team high four steals.
Other team leaders in the game were Eva Malm with seven points and seven rebounds, and Clara McElroy who also dished out four assists.
SMOKY VALLEY LADY VIKINGS at Hoisington
SCORING: LADY VIKINGS > 10-8-13-12=43; Hoisington > 14-11-6-8=39.
TEAM STATS: LADY VIKINGS > 2-FGs – 16/40; 3-PTs – 1/10; FTs – 8/16; AST – 13; REBs – 40; TO – 16; STLs – 13; BLKs – 3; FLs – 17. Hoisington > 2-FGs – 13/38; 3-PTs – 1/14; FTs – 10/15; AST – 11; REBs – 33; TO – 16; STLs – 8; BLKs – 1; FLs – 11.
SMOKY VALLEY LADY VIKING STAT LEADERS: Scoring > Katja Blanchat – 19; Adrian Hazelwood – 9; Eva Malm – 7; Tinley Scott – 4; Sophia Fruits – 3; Clara McElroy – 1. 3-Pointers Made > Hazelwood – 1. Assists > Hazelwood, McElroy – 4; Breanne Peters – 3. Rebounds > Blanchat, Hazelwood – 9; Malm – 7; Scott, McElroy – 3; Fruits, Peters – 2. Steals > Hazelwood – 4; Fruits, McElroy – 3; Blanchat – 2. Blocked Shots > Blanchat – 2; Hazelwood – 1.
(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)