Staff writer
Participating in a pre-season tournament at Herington, Centre High School girls’ basketball team experienced an easy victory Friday against Hope, winning 45-23.
The team finished 1-2 in the tournament, losing to Herington and Northern Heights.
In the game against Hope, Centre took a 15-6 lead in the first quarter with two field goals by Ripley Howard, a three-pointer and two-pointer by Shelby Deines, and baskets by Allison Shields and Josie Peterson.
The Lady Lions couldn’t get it together, and by halftime the Lady Cougars had built their lead to 29-10.
After a 12-7 scoring advantage in the third quarter, Deines hit a three-pointer and Peterson made a free throw in the fourth quarter, resulting in a 22-point victory for Centre.
Howard and Leann Pankratz scored in double figures with 12 points each. Peterson scored seven points and Carlye Simons and Shields had six points each.
Centre vs. Herington
The girls played well for three quarters Dec. 9 against Herington. They led at halftime, 26-24, and tied the Railers at 32 after three quarters. But they seemed to lose their momentum in the fourth quarter and lost by seven points, 49-42.
Six players scored in the first quarter including two field goals by Pankratz, one each by Peterson and Deines, and free throws by Howard and Simons. Centre led 13-8 at the end of the quarter.
The Lady Cougars were outscored 16-13 in the second quarter, despite a total of nine points by Pankratz. The team’s lead had narrowed to two, 26-24, at halftime.
They kept their momentum in the third quarter but lost it in the fourth to give Herington a five-point win.
Pankratz was Centre’s leading scorer with 20 points, followed by Deines, Howard, and Simons with six points each.
Centre vs. Northern Heights
Saturday’s game against Northern Heights was a different story. The Lady Wildcats overcame the Lady Cougars, 58-25.
Facing a strong defense, Centre players had a difficult time putting the ball in the net. Both teams were consistent in scoring as demonstrated in quarterly scores (Northern Heights first) of 13-7, 14-7, 13-6, and 13-5.
None of Centre’s players scored in double figures. Pankratz had seven points from two baskets and three free throws. Peterson, with two three-pointers, and Howard, with one field goal and four free throws, scored six points each.
Total individual scores for the tournament were Pankratz 27, Howard 24, Deines 20, Peterson 15, Simons 14, Shields eight, and D.J. Turner two.