Neuqua Valley regains control, beats Metea Valley

There was a battle between the Neuqua Valley girls basketball team and host Metea Valley on Thursday. It just took a little while to arrive.

The Wildcats (6-1, 2-0 Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division) used a 17-1 scoring run in the first quarter and solid play late in the third and during the final period to win 61-42. The Mustangs (3-4, 0-1) put up a strong fight in the middle half of the game after struggling out of the gate.

"We did an excellent job of moving the ball in the first quarter. We were getting some nice screens, some nice easy buckets," said Neuqua coach Mike Williams. "In the second and third quarters we were at the same pace but not in control. We hung with it and pulled it out. Metea played a great game and pressured us the entire time."

The Wildcats made 8 of 14 shots from the field in the first quarter while Metea missed all five of its shots. Ten seconds into the second quarter, Brianna Hall took a pass from teammate Taseandra Parker and converted it into the Mustangs' first field goal of the night.

The rest of the quarter belonged to Metea. It cranked out 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting while Neuqua went icy at 3 of 18. But the Wildcats still led 29-18 at halftime.

Hall scored 7 of her team-high 14 points in the third quarter and 2 of those points cut the Neuqua lead to 29-23. Later a basket by Lisa Logan cut the Wildcats lead again to 31-25. Neuqua, however, finished the quarter on a 14-6 run to lead 45-31 and stayed in control of the game the rest of the way.

"We started letting up and we felt the need to pick things up. We calmed down. We got it together and played our type of ball," said Neuqua's Myia Starks, whose 14 points put her second only to Kai Moon's game-high 18 points.

"We kept our composure and settled down and did what we do best," said Metea coach Cedric Williams of his team's revival in the secnd quarter. "We had too many turnovers (12) in that first quarter, and when you play a team like Neuqua they make you pay."

Williams was pleased with how his team battled and said it bodes well for the rest of the season.

"If we can keep that type of level of play in conference, we're going to be a good ballclub," he said.

Both teams jump back into conference play Saturday. Metea is at Waubonsie Valley at 1 p.m. Neuqua plays host to South Elgin later that day at 4:30 p.m.