Lady Warriors finish third in tourney
Staff writer
Peabody-Burns High School girls' basketball squad finished third Saturday in the early season tournament at home.
In the three-game series, the Lady Warriors knocked off Norwich, 49-45, Tuesday in overtime. Friday in Norwich, the squad lost to Goessel, 34-26. The team bounced back to take the Saturday victory over Caldwell, 40-32.
The team now prepares for a Friday home match-up with Moundridge.
In the first game of the tournament, the Lady Warriors took control of the game with six team members putting points on the board. PBHS defense held the Eagles to nine in the first. The advantage went to the Lady Warriors at the end of one, 14-9.
Tiana McGee led the team with four. Becky Morris added a trey. Traci Windsor, Kali Alstrom, and Jessi Hilliard each had a basket. Jessica Gillet added a free throw.
Second quarter scoring was provided by Hilliard with nine and Alstrom with three. PBHS took a 10-point lead in the period but Norwich made a late run in the last two minutes of the quarter to narrow the gap, 25-19.
Lady Warrior scoring in the third continued with Hilliard as the only scorer with 11. The gap remained at six at the end of the third quarter, 36-29.
Lady Warriors held the lead until Norwich made a run late in the fourth quarter to tie the contest at 43-all. Kate Topham had a trey and Windsor scored two. McGee and Gillet each added one. One attempt by each team fell short in the last seconds and the contest went into overtime.
Overtime was mostly Lady Warrior offense. Hilliard put up four and Topham added a basket to give the Lady Warriors a round one win, 49-45.
PBHS scores
Hilliard 26, McGee 5, Topham 5, Alstrom 4, Windsor 4, Morris 3, Gillet 2.
Goessel
During game two with Goessel, the Lady Warriors were defeated, 34-26.
The first quarter was fairly even in offense. McGee and Alstrom put up two each. Hilliard added a free throw. A two-point game favored the Bluebirds at the end of the first, 7-5.
Hilliard had two free throws and a basket for the only second quarter score for the Lady Warriors. PBHS first half defense held the Bluebirds to 14.
Better offense in the third for both squads put the score at 26-18. Windsor, Gillet, and Hilliard all had a basket each. Alstrom added a free throw. Bluebird control of the boards made for tough going on both ends of the court.
In the fourth, Hilliard had four points. Laura Hoffman and Windsor put in two each.
PBHS scores
Hilliard 11, Windsor 6, Alstrom 3, Gillet 3, McGee 2, Hoffman 2.
Caldwell
In game three against Caldwell, Lady Warrior defense pressured Caldwell and held them to five points in the first period.
The PBHS squad put up 12, paced by Hilliard with eight. Windsor scored two and Topham added two free throws.
In the second period, Caldwell rebounded well. They closed the gap with some second opportunity shots and free throws. The Lady Warriors put up 10. Hilliard had five. Windsor and Morris put up two each. Alstrom added a free throw. The gap at the half favored the Lady Warriors, 22-15.
PBHS rebounding picked up in the third quarter to keep the ball out of Caldwell's hands. Lady Warriors outscored their opponent, 9-7. Alstrom scored five. Hilliard and Gillet had two each.
Both teams put up nine in the fourth. The Lady Warriors controlled the ball down the stretch to take the win, 40-32, and third place in the tournament.
PBHS Scores
Hilliard 17, Alstrom 8, Windsor 7, Gillet 3, Topham 2, Morris 2, and McGee 1.
