MSM HEAVENLY HOOPFEST : Wharton makes sure Belles handle business
Posted on Thursday, November 20, 2008
Courtney Wharton hit four three-pointers in the opening quarter of Wednesday’s semifinal game of the Heavenly Hoopfest, but the Mount St. Mary senior guard was clever enough to realize that the Belles needed more than just outside shooting to hold off Forrest City.
Wharton finished with 18 points and Belles post players Debbie Onukwabe and Kayla Gardner each added 12 as the Belles posted a 64-50 victory on their homecourt.
“Our inside players are real important part of our team,” said Wharton, who had four of her six assists in the fourth quarter. “They get it going. If it’s not working inside, they’ll kick it back outside to us.”
Mount St. Mary (2-0 ) advances to play unbeaten Star City in Saturday’s championship game.
Gardner was held scoreless and managed only one rebound in the first half, but the 5-8 senior finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Onukwabe, a 5-7 senior, was held to two free throws in the first three quarters, but scored 10 points in the fourth quarter and grabbed seven rebounds.
Most of the two post players ’ problems in the first half were because of foul problems.
“They sat out about a quarter and a half,” Mount St. Mary Coach Tippi McCullough said. “They did kind of settle down in the second half. Early on we hit threes, and then for a while we weren’t doing much of anything. It certainly helped when they were able to go to work.”
Mount St. Mary’s first six field goals came from beyond the threepoint line with Wharton hitting four and Kaileigh Taylor two. The Belles led by 15 points early in the second quarter.
“I told our girls that you can’t start out like we did and expect it to stay there,” McCullough said. “You start out like that and you think it’s going to continue. But it doesn’t.”
Forrest City (1-1 ), behind the play of senior forward Sherika Stewart, rallied to cut the Belles’ halftime lead to four, 34-30. Stewart scored nine of her team-high 17 points in the second quarter. She also had eight rebounds. FORREST CITY (50 ) Lucas 2 1-3 5, White 0 4-6 4, Moore 5 0-1 12, Stewart 4 9-12 17, Williams 1 4-5 6, Mayo 3 0-3 6. Totals 15 18-30 50. MOUNT ST. MARY (64 ) Gardner 5 2-6 12, Onukwabe 4 4-8 12, Taylor 2 0-0 6, Westbrook 0 1-2 1, Wharton 6 2-6 18, Kaplon 2 0-0 4, Russell 0 0-0 0, Hum 0 0-0 0, Stafford 0 1-2 1, Sprick 2 4-4 8, Hugen 1 0-0 2, Hook 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 14-28 64. Forrest City (1-1 )............................. 12 18 6 14 — 50 Mount St. Mary (2-0 )...................... 23 11 10 20 — 64 Three-point goals — Forrest City 2 (Moore 2 ); MSM 6 (Wharton 4, Taylor 2 ). Team fouls — Forrest City 18, MSM 22. Fouled out — White, Williams; Westbrook. STAR CITY 67, WATSON CHAPEL 56
Sophomore Jerrica Scott scored 22 points and pulled down 12 rebounds as the Lady Bulldogs (5-0 ) topped the Lady Wildcats (1-1 ).
Junior Queona Walker and sophomore Caryon Jones each added 12 points for Star City.
Sophomore Brittany Gill led Watson Chapel with 20 points and 10 rebounds. STAR CITY (67 ) Walker 4 2-2 12, C. Jones 5 1-3 12, Rochell 4 1-2 9, Scott 7 8-10 22, Pace 3 1-1 8, Crigler 0 0-0 0, Nealy 0 0-0 0, Gregg 0 0-0 0, Whitfield 2 0-0 4. Totals 25 13-18 67. WATSON CHAPEL (56 ) L. Moore 0 0-0 0, Emerson 5 0-0 13, James 3 2-6 8, Brown 3 1-3 8, Torrence 1 0-0 2, Gill 9 2-2 20, Ross 2 0-2 5, D. Moore 0 0-1 0. Totals 23 5-14 56. Star City (5-0 )............................... 14 23 14 16 — 67 Watson Chapel (1-1 )......................... 9 10 19 18 — 56 Three-point goals — Star City 4 (Walker 2, C. Jones, Pace ); Watson Chapel 5 (Emerson 3, Brown, Ross ). Team fouls — Star City 15, Watson Chapel 18. LR CHRISTIAN 52, SYLVAN HILLS 22
Junior forward Jae Tucker came off the bench to score 14 points and grab six rebounds to help the Lady Warriors (1-1 ) down the Lady Bears (0-2 ) in a consolation game.
Kristen Parker added 10 points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds for Little Rock Christian while Sarah Johnson and Rachel Lee each handed out three assists. Mary Sixbey led the Lady Warriors in steals with four.
Latrina Brandon scored a team-high nine points for Sylvan Hills while Ashley Johnson led the Lady Bears in rebounding with nine. RUSSELLVILLE 50, NORTH PULASKI 39
Junior forward Amy Campbell led the Lady Cyclones (1-1 ) with 19 points and 13 rebounds in a consolation-round victory over the Lady Falcons (0-2 ).
Mindy Cooper added eight points for Russellville while Janesa Hudson had a team-high five steals and five assists.
Bianca Harper led North Pulaski with 12 points and 11 rebounds while Quanita Hale added 11 points.
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