Burlington Central claims tournament crown again
After winning the first four games of its own Thanksgiving tournament by an average of 38 points, the Burlington Central girls basketball team relished the opportunity to be pushed a little Tuesday night.
And even though the Rockets posted a 16-point win, this one took a little more work than the previous four.
Junior Shelby Holt hit for five more 3-pointers in scoring 17 points as Burlington Central played through some adversity for the first time this season in beating Machesney Park Harlem 50-34 to win its second straight tournament championship.
"It was fun. Competition makes you better and it was good to get a little of that," said Holt, who scored 14 of her points in the first half, when she also hit four of her five 3-pointers, giving her nine in the last two games.
Holt said she struggled with her shot some in the first two games of the tournament so she did what good shooters do - hit the gym.
"At the beginning of the tournament I was struggling a little so I took it on myself to get in the gym and shoot and it's paying off," she said.
Holt took two kickouts from senior Alison Colby (6 points, 4 assists), who was named to the all-tournament team, to hit two of her three 3-pointers in the first quarter as the Rockets (5-0) jumped out to a 19-6 lead after one quarter.
But Harlem fought back and go to within 24-19 with 2:47 left in the second half before senior Aly DeTamble hit two 3s and Holt beat the halftime buzzer, again from the corner, to send the Rockets into halftime with a 33-21 lead.
Harlem got no closer in the second half, only closing to the final margin on a last second 3-pointer.
The Huskies (4-1) shot just 8-for-33 in the game but stayed alive by hitting free throws, and by getting the Rockets into foul trouble. Specifically, junior Kayla Ross, who was named to the all-tournament team, spent more than half the game on the bench in foul trouble and junior Becca Gerke, also on the all-tournament team, fouled out. Harlem made 13 of 14 from the free-throw line in the first half and 16 of 18 for the game. Junior McKaela Schmelzer, who led Harlem with 19 points, was 10 of 10 from the line. BC, meanwhile, struggled at the line, hitting just 6 of 17.
"We gave up 10 points, well, 13 with that 3 at the end, but 10 points in the second half so we're pleased with that," said Rockets' coach Mark Smith. "We had to keep them off the line and we did that in the second half. A lot of times you do too much and not let the game just come to you and we did a little of that tonight. Their zone made us work pretty hard but the latter part of the second quarter and the second half we did better with it. But we have to learn to go inside-out and we have to shoot free throws better."
DeTamble added 10 points for the Rockets, who also got a lift off the bench from senior Kayla Rafferty, who had 5 rebounds.
"She did a nice job," said Smith of Rafferty. "She gets her hands on the ball and she does a good job of boxing out."
Central played again without two starters from last year's state team, junior guard Sam Cruz, who is out with a broken hand, and junior forward Sam Pryor, who has missed the first five games with a knee problem. Smith said he expects Pryor back next week.