GIRLS LOSE TO HBC

The MCC Rebel Girls were on the road Friday night in Hills taking on the Hills Beaver Creek Patriots. MCC was coming off a tough loss to Adrian Ellsworth on Tuesday night and was hoping to avenge a close loss to the Patriots earlier this season. Murray County Central has struggled this season to score points, but they have struggled the most with teams that pressure the basketball. HBC loves to push the tempo and trap the basketball and for the Rebels that would mean a long night.

The first half was very competitive between the two teams with MCC defending the perimeter shooters of the Patriots, not allowing them to get good looks from the three-point line. That did open up driving lanes from the Patriot’s Olivia Deelstra. The 8th grader would lead HBC with 13 first-half points. The Rebels did not have any one person stand out in the opening half, but Seanna Swenson scored 6 points to lead the Rebels. MCC would play really well in the last two minutes of the first half to pull ahead at the half 26 to 23.

The second half would start with Jayda Hellewell hitting a three-point shot for the Rebels and extending their lead to 6 points. That would be the final points scored for the next six minutes while the Patriots would score 11 consecutive points to take the lead. Seanna Swenson would end the run for HBC but MCC would never regain the lead. MCC got within two points several different times throughout the second half but they couldn’t find a way to tie the game up or take the lead. In the end, the Patriots trapping defense would prove to be too much, as MCC would fall 59 to 48.

The Rebels really got burned by the free-throw line on Friday. The Rebels allowed 31 free throw attempts by the Patriots who made 17 of them. MCC on the other hand got to the charity stripe 22 times but only made 10. In a game that was close most of the way, that proved to be the biggest separator between the two teams. Olivia Deelstra the 8th grader, starred for the Patriots scoring 24 points, while Abbie Harris added 13. Abby Overman had a strong game for the Rebels, scoring 13 points while grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing out 4 assists to lead the team in each category. Casey Miller chipped in with 9 points and Seanna Swenson added 8. The Rebel’s next game is Monday in Westbrook against the Chargers who manhandled the Rebels in their last meeting two weeks ago.

Abby Overman