Two games into the season, the Park Hill South girls’ basketball team (2-0) has outscored its opponents 136-53 and is on the verge of winning the Winnetonka Invitational for the second straight season.
Freshmen Addison Bjorn and Ava Miles have been huge additions early on, especially in the first-round matchup against Ruskin (0-2) in the Gold Division Bracket on Nov. 28. Park Hill South was in complete control of the contest, scoring the first 21 points of the night.
The Park Hill South bench celebrates after a first half 3-pointer by Ava Miles the opening round of the Winnetonka Invitational against Ruskin on Nov. 28.
Tatum Kells scored the first two buckets and the senior scored six points – as did junior Regan Williams in her season debut – in the first quarter. Ruskin didn’t score until there was 2:25 left in the opening frame.
Miles knocked down a pair of treys in the first eight minutes, including one from the left wing right before the buzzer. Bjorn scored 17 first half points – seven in the first quarter and 10 in the second quarter – with three transition layups in the final 1:35 of the first half and did a solid job at facilitating the ball.
Bjorn and Miles combined for 28 first half points and the Lady Panthers went into the break with a remarkable 53-5 lead, only allowing one Ruskin point in the second quarter and closing out the half on a 24-0 run. Park Hill South went on to win by a margin of 75-23, which matches its season high from a year ago in a 40-point home win over Oak Park.
The Lady Panthers opened the season off with a 61-30 victory over St. Teresa’s Academy (0-2) on Nov. 22. Bjorn entered high school with multiple college offers and lived up to the hype in her freshman debut when the 6-foot-1 guard made nine of her 14 shot attempts to finish with 27 points, five rebounds, two steals and one block.
Avery Simmons showed her experience, pouring out 15 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Miles ended the day with nine points and five rebounds, while Kells scored four points and snagged 10 rebounds.
Next up for Park Hill South in the Winnetonka Invitational is a semifinal matchup on Dec. 1 at 4:30 p.m. Depending on that result, the Lady Panthers will play in the championship at 7 p.m. or the third-place game at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 2.