BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
ST. JOHN – The No. 5 ranked 1A Division 1 St. John girls have defeated 11-time Central Prairie League basketball champion Central Plains 43-25. The Tigers earned their best victory of the season with a comeback 63-59 Midwinter Classic victory over Wichita Sunrise.
"We were down 13, sagging off players and switched to pressure full-court man defense," said St. John coach Danny Smith. "The pressure bothered Sunrise. They started taking lower percentage shots. We started running the ball up the court."
Sparkplug Reagan Bonner ignited the rally with a 13-point third quarter and a 20-point night. Heidi Fisher earned Most Valuable Player honors with 19 points in the championship game.
"Reagan Bonner enjoyed a great third quarter that brought us back," Smith said. "She hit a few fast-break layups and hit a 3-pointer. She gave us the energy we needed."
Wichita Sunrise beat 5A Great Bend 60-47 and features several international players.
"Sunrise has college-level players competing in high school basketball," Smith said. "To be down 13 and rally is huge."
St. John's Mia Meyer and Averi Fisher missed the Midwinter Classic.
"It gives everyone confidence to win without two key players," Smith said. "It shows we have depth and good basketball players."
The Tigers have qualified for the state basketball tournament 11 times with hard-fought losses to Central Plains 28-23 and Little River 40-38 the past two years in substate championship games.
Heidi Fisher is the Tigers' leader with no seniors.
"Heidi's developed her skills," Smith said. "She's quality ballhandler, shooter, and solid all-around player. Her motor is working all the time."
The 6-2 Lydia Reed provides a rare inside presence, a shot-blocking and rebounding powerhouse.
"Lydia at 6-2 can run and jump, and she's one of the fastest girls we've had," Smith said "She affects the other team with her defense. It's hard for most team to score inside."
Outside of Reed, the Tigers are undersized, but prefer a fast-paced style.
"This is the fastest basketball I've coached and they're athletic," Smith said. "We prefer to play tough man defense and more full-court defense."
Heidi Fisher, Bonner, Gentri Bright, Mia Meyer and Carly Rockenbach compliment Reed's offense with perimeter shooting.
The Central Plains/St. John game is scheduled Feb. 2 with the Central Prairie League title at stake.
"We're a better, more complete basketball team than last year," Smith said. "We're meeting our expectations. I like our team balance."
ST. JOHN GIRLS 52, NESS CITY 26 – St. John (12-1, 3-0 CPL) took command of the Central Prairie race with a dominating 52-26 victory over Ness City Thursday. Gentri Bright (14), Heidi Fisher (12) and Lydia Reed (11) scored in double figures.
St. John 19 11 11 12 – 52
Ness City 12 7 8 9 – 26
ST. JOHN (12-1, 3-0)–Bright 6 2-4 14, Heidi Fisher 5 1-2 12, Reed 5 1-5 11, Bonner 4 0-0 8, Meyer 2 0-0 4, Brummer 1 0-1 2, Averi Fisher 0 1-2 1, Totals 23 5-5 52.
NESS CITY (7-5, 2-2)–T. Smith 5-11 1-2 15, Tillotson 2-10 4-4 8, Gabel 3-9 0-0 8, Rodriguez 0-4 1-2 1, Petersilie 0-4 0-0 0, Jordan 0-3 0-0 0, Reinhardt 1-1 0-0 2, Totals 12-46 6-8 36.
3-pointers–SJ 1 (H. Fisher 1), NC 6-20 (Smith 4-7, Gabel 2-7, Tillotson 0-1, Turner 0-2, Rodriguez 0-2). Rebounds–NC 25 (Tillitson 9). Assists–NC 10 (Rodriguez 6). Steals–NC 3 (Rodriguez 2).
ST. JOHN GIRLS 61, LA CROSSE 16 – St. John stayed red hot with a dominating 56-16 Central Prairie league basketball victory over La Crosse in a battle for first place. St. John's Lydia Reed (17) and Heidi Fisher (16) scored in double figures.
St. John 23 14 14 5 – 56
La Crosse 5 3 6 2 – 16
ST. JOHN (11-1, 2-0)–Reed 7 3-4 17, Heidi Fisher 6 4-5 16, Bonner 4 0-0 8, Bright 3 2-2 8, Rockenbach 2 0-0 5, Totals 22 9-11 56
LA CROSSE (6-4, 2-1)–Morgan 2 1-2 6, Parrott 1 1-2 3, Dellett 1 0-0 2, Elizabeth Showalter 1 0-0 2, Thielenhaus 1 0-0 2, Werth 0 1-4 1, Day 0 0-2 0, Totals 6 3-10 16.
3-pointers–SJ 3 (H. Fisher 2, Rockenbach 1), L 1 (Morgan 1)
LA CROSSE 51, ST. JOHN 30 – La Crosse's Conner Barriger was on fire with 15 points, six rebounds and five steals in a 51-30 Central Prairie League basketball victory over St. John. Caden Morgan dished out 10 assists as the Leopards delivered 20 assists.
St. John 7 7 7 10 – 31
La Crosse 12 12 12 14– 50
ST. JOHN (6-6, 1-1)–Totals 31.
LA CROSSE (8-2, 3-0)–Barriger 7-7 0-2 15, Burk 4-6 2-3 10, Logan Skillett 4-10 0-0 8, Holopirek 3-10 0-0 8, Doombos 1-1 0-0 2, Morgan 2-5 2-4 6, Trenton Skilette 0-1 0-00, Nelson 1-2 0-- 2, Hiemstra 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 22-43 4-9 50.
3-pointers–L 3-13 (Holopirek 2-7, Barriger 1-1, Burk 0-1, Hiemstra 0-1, Morgan 0-3). Rebounds–L 29 (Barriger 6). Assists–L 20 (Morgan 10). Steals–L 10 (Barriger 5, Holopirek 5).
