Cyclone girls build momentum for Ram rematch

Hall leads potent offensive attack with 22 points as HCHS records 72-57 Senior Night win over St. Albert

 HARLAN (Jan. 8) -- It remains to be seen what happens when Harlan Community takes another shot at the top-rated Glenwood girls basketball team Tuesday night.
 But this much is certain: the 11th-rated Cyclones are better equipped offensively to challege the Rams now than they were in a 73-46 home loss December 19.
 Led by Ashley Hall’s career-high 22 points and five other girls with at least eight, HCHS continued to showcase an improved and more fluid offense since the holiday break here Friday, celebrating Senior Night with a 72-57 victory over St. Albert.
 The Cyclones trailed 19-13 after one quarter and led just 37-34 at the half, but overtook the Saintes by scoring 24 points each in the second and third quarters and forcing some second-half steals with an effective junk defense combo of 1-3 chaser and diamond-and-one on standout Allie Petry.
 HCHS improved to 9-2 overall with its fifth straight win and will take a 5-1 Hawkeye Ten Conference record to Glenwood (8-1).
 “We are super excited to play them again. We just want another shot at beating them,” said Hall, who made 4-of-7 three-pointers Friday and scored four layups in transition. Known as more of a distributor than a scorer during her career, Hall’s 22 points (all in the first three quarters) easily surpassed her previous season average of 5.5. "Some nights the shots are going to go, sometimes they’re not, and tonight they went for me," she said.
 The Cyclones knocked down eight treys in a high-scoring first half - two each by Hall, Jocelyn Cheek, Brecken Van Baale and Raegen Wicks - but trailed much of the way prior to Wicks drilling a contested three from the left corner just ahead of the halftime horn.
 Petry, an athletic 5’8” senior and future Iowa State volleyball player, hit two threes of her own and was active on the offensive glass to lead the quick, scrappy Saintes with 16 first-half points.
 Petry added a pair of conventional three-point plays and scored eight second-half points to finish with 24, but the Cyclones had a much better half defensively in outscoring St. Albert 35-23, including 24-12 in the pivotal third quarter.
 Van Baale swiped five of the Cyclones’ eight steals and also dealt eight assists to go along with her three treys and 11 points. Overall, six HCHS girls scored at least eight points on the night. Macie Leinen finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, Claire Schmitz had a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards - including seven offensive rebounds - and Cheek and Wicks both scored eight.
 The Cyclones knocked down 11-of-27 three-pointers and shot 44.3 percent overall as they continue to play a better brand of offensive basketball since Christmas. The ball is moving quicker, better passing decisions are being made and more shots are falling as a result.
 St. Albert, which dropped to 4-7 overall and 2-4 in the Hawkeye Ten, ended up with 20 turnovers while still shooting 47 percent. In addition to Petry’s 24 points, nine boards and five assists, Lauren Williams totaled 12 points and five steals for the Saintes, Pearl Reisz had 10 and freshman Missy Evezic added nine off the bench.
Senior Night:
 Prior to the game, HCHS honored five senior players and their parents: Jocelyn Cheek, Ashley Hall, Brecken Van Baale, Macie Leinen and Julia Schechinger.

 
 

 

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