RIVERSIDE, Mo. — Park Hill South’s turbulent season hit another low Monday, Jan. 23.
The Panthers played without sophomore Alecia Westbrook, who provided a recent spark, and were never close after the first quarter in a 60-23 loss at Park Hill South High School. After opening with three straight Suburban Conference Red Division wins, Park Hill South came to a thudding stop in the matchup with the Blue Jays.
Instead of extending a lead in the standings, Park Hill South dropped to 3-1 with Liberty and Truman off to 1-0 starts in league play.
“We had some things happen before the game ever started and mentally I think that took us out of it.” Park Hill South coach Josh Dorr said. “I think we came out and were playing OK and hit a couple shots that gave us some confidence.”
Park Hill South led 9-8 after the first quarter with senior guard Emily Dinovo hitting a pair of 3-pointers. The Panthers scored only two more points in the half, and Grace Cunningham had all four of their points in the third quarter.
Kearney 56, Platte County 29
The Pirates started Suburban Conference Blue Division play with a loss Monday, Jan. 23 at Platte County High School.
Platte County allowed 19 points in the first quarter and trailed 32-13 at halftime. The Pirates dropped to 8-7 overall and with tournament play over now face nine more Blue Division games to close the regular season.
Against Kearney, Hannah Valentine, a sophomore guard, had a second breakout performance in a week, scoring a team-high 13 points. She hit two of Platte County’s three 3-pointers, while Taylor Farr (three points) hit the other.
Platte County plays next on Thursday, Jan. 26 at Grandview.
Oak Park Invitational
Liberty North 62, Park Hill South 56
A tiebreaker helped put the Panthers’ in the third-place game, but they couldn’t top a Suburban Conference Red Division rival in their tournament finale Friday, Jan. 20 in Kansas City, Mo.
Westbrook (17) and Dymeria Guillory (14) combined for 31 points but couldn’t overcome Bebe Gist’s career-high 27. A mostly even game, the Eagles jumped to a 19-12 lead after the first quarter and held on despite a strong night at the line for Park Hill South, which shot 22 of 29 on free throws.
Park Hill South, Platte County and Lincoln Prep all finished 1-1 in the three-team first round pool, and the tiebreaker of scoring margin divided the teams into their place matches. Park Hill South and Liberty North met a week earlier with the Panthers claiming that matchup 50-46 in Red Division play.
Platte County 55, Oak Park 47
Despite a disappointing finish to pool play, the Pirates closed the tournament Friday, Jan. 20 with a win in the fifth-place game behind another big game from sophomore guard Jaycie Stubbs.
Platte County shot 48.8 percent from the floor with Stubbs hitting all six of the Pirates’ 3-pointers. She finished with a game-high 25 points, while Ava White added 13 points on 6 of 7 shooting from the floor.
Oak Park took a 28-25 lead into halftime but scored just five points in the fourth quarter while Platte County finished the comeback. The Pirates beat Park Hill South in pool play, but a blowout loss to Lincoln Prep put them on the wrong end of the three-way tiebreaker.
Lincoln Prep 67, Platte County 45
The Pirates dropped all the way into the fifth-place game with a blowout loss in their second pool matchup.
Lincoln Prep put up 23 points in the second quarter Thursday, Jan. 19 and rolled from there to earn a spot in the title game. All three teams in the first round pool went 1-1 with margin of victory the determining tiebreaker.
Valentine led the Pirates with 11 points, including both of their 3-pointers. They led 14-9 after the first quarter but went into halftime down 32-22.
Park Hill South 45, Lincoln Prep 42
The Panthers did just enough to win their second pool game in the first round Tuesday, Jan. 17 in Kansas City, Mo.
No player scored in double figures, and Park Hill South led by just one at halftime and five after the third quarter. Westbrook, De’Jaria Guillory and Dinovo scored eight points apiece in the win, while DeQuaria Guillory added seven and Dymeria Guillroy and Cunningham had six apiece.
Park Hill South’s free throw shooting again hurt, going just 13-for-26 at the line.