Platte County pulled the season sweep of Belton behind a quartet of double-digit scorers Monday, Feb. 23 in Belton, Mo.
With the 59-50 win, Platte County solidified its spot at third in the Suburban Conference Red Division and continued the momentum heading into the postseason. The Pirates (12-11) grabbed the No. 5 seed in an extremely competitive Class 4 District 16 field and plays No. 4 seed Lafayette at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27 in Smithville, Mo.
Platte County has won 3 of 4 entering its regular season final Thursday, Feb. 25 against Grandview, Red Division leaders.
In the latest win against Belton, Koryne Matthews and Rockey Chambers scored 13 apiece with Matthews hitting three 3s. Jaycie Stubbs also hit three 3s to finish with 11, while Rachel Holden provided 12 points in the post.
The game stayed competitive throughout, but Platte County limited Belton standout Courtnie Lewis to 16 after she scored 31 in a 61-60 Platte County win earlier this month. Two players combined for 36 of Belton’s 50 points overall.
Kearney 44, Platte County 39
Half of the Pirates’ 14 field goals were 3-pointers, but they weren’t enough Thursday, Feb. 18 in Platte City.
Stubbs hit four and scored a team-high 12 points, helping Platte County mount a charge. Kearney won the first meeting between the league rivals by 40 points and took a 21-10 lead after the first quarter of the rematch.
Platte County battled back behind Stubbs, Chambers (10 points) and Holden (seven points). The Pirates held Kearney to just 12 points in the second half.
Park Hill 55, Ruskin 44
The Trojans won their fourth in a span of five games behind 19 points for Amanda Alexander.
Ruskin scored just four points in the first quarter and didn’t recover. Gigi Hopkins added 13 and Maliah Hudson nine in the win for Park Hill, which shot 19-for-29 on free throws.
Alexander hit both of the Trojans’ 3-pointers.
Park Hill improved to 12-12 overall and remained third in the Suburban League Red Division standings at 6-3. The Trojans ended up with the No. 3 seed in the Class 5 District 16 tournament and plays second-seeded Staley in a semifinal at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 3 at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo.
Both teams receive a first-round bye.
Park Hill 43, St. Joseph Central 41
The Trojans held the Indians to just 12 points in the first half and held on for a key win Thursday, Feb. 18 at Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Mo.
Hopkins scored 11, and Park Hill led 23-12 at halftime before being outscored in the final two quarters. The Trojans held on with Morgen Smith scoring nine and Alexander and Hannah Stout contributing seven apiece.
The win came against one of the two Red Division leaders and the top seed in Class 5 District 16.
Truman 59, Park Hill South 27
The Panthers have lost six of seven entering their final two games of the regular season.
Truman scored 22 points in the second quarter to take a 39-19 lead into halftime, and the Patriots hit six 3-pointers to bury Park Hill South, which only scored eight points in the second half — three in the third quarter.
Park Hill South plays in the first round of the Class 5 District 16 tournament on Monday, Feb. 29 at Oak Park High School against Staley. The winner plays top-seeded St. Joseph Central on Thursday, March 3 in a semifinal.
Park Hill South 71, Ruskin 37
The Panthers scored a blowout win in league play Thursday, Feb. 18 at Park Hill South High School in Riverside, Mo.
Up 30-23 at halftime, Park Hill South put up 26 points in the third quarter to pull away. The Panthers hit seven 3-pointers total, including three for Raquel Reid (game-high 14 points. Grace Cunningham added two from behind the 3-point line on the way to 10 points, while Mayleigh Oder scored 12 for Park Hill South.
Ruskin went 5-for-17 on free throws.