By Staff
STERLING – The Smoky Valley girls opened their side of the Sterling Invitational on Tuesday falling behind early, then rallying but coming up short in a 10-point, 56-46 loss to Hugoton.
Next up in the Invitational will be a matchup with host Sterling on Thursday.
Hugoton held just a one-point lead, 14-13, at the end of the first quarter before pulling out ahead of Smoky Valley by nine at 32-23 going into the halftime break. The Lady Vikings clawed their way back into the game and only trailed by one point, 41-40, at the end of the third quarter when Hugoton pulled away for the final 10-point win.
Katja Blanchat led the Lady Viking scorers with 16 while Adrian Hazelwood put 15 by her name in the scorebook while also just missing a true double-double with a team leading nine rebounds. Clara McElroy led the team in assists with four and both Katja Blanchat and Tinley Scott helped in the paint with each grabbing six rebounds.
SMOKY VALLEY LADY VIKINGS vs. Hugoton at Sterling Invitational
SCORING: LADY VIKINGS > 13-10-17-6 = 46; Hugoton > 14-18-9-15 = 56.
TEAM STATS: LADY VIKINGS > FGs – 17/59; 3-PTs – 2/15; FTs – 10/12; AST – 13; REBs – 37; TO – 14; STLs – 14; BLKs – 1; FLs – 12. Hugoton > FGs – 25/58; 3-PTs – 4/12; FTs – 2/4; AST – 19; REBs – 42; TO – 14; STLs – 12; BLKs – 1; FLs – 12.
SMOKY VALLEY LADY VIKING INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS: Scoring > Katja Blanchat – 16; Adrian Hazelwood – 15; Eva Malm – 4; Sophia Fruits – 4; Tinley Scott – 3; Breanne Peters – 2; Trisha Spliter – 2. 3-Pointers Made > Hazelwood, Scott – 1. Assists > Clara McElroy – 4; Ka. Blanchat, Malm – 3; Hazelwood – 2. Rebounds > Hazelwood – 9; Scott, Blanchat – 6; Spliter – 5; Fruits – 4; Peters – 2. Steals > Fruits, Hazelwood – 3; Blanchat = 2. Blocked Shots > Hazelwood – 1.
(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)