Mountain Grove Lady Panthers win holiday championship
The Mountain Grove Lady Panthers’ basketball team completed their run to an undefeated end of 2024 after winning their own holiday tournament for the first time in its 11-year history.
Mountain Grove dominated Licking in the Mountain Grove Girls Basketball Holiday Tournament finals by 21 points, 64-43, to move their record to 10-0 this season. The event was sponsored by State Farm Insurance-Steven Gum.
Though his team entered the tournament as the No. 1 overall seed, Mountain Grove head coach Mike Mallow was concerned on how his players would respond to playing at their fast pace with three games in three days.
They never seemed to get tired as the starters and bench players played several solid minutes to help the Lady Panthers pick up big wins over rival Ava, Bunker and Licking on their way to holding up the first place trophy.
“I think they played great,” Coach Mallow said.
“Three games in three days playing our pace; I was a little concerned about that. But we were able to play a lot of kids and it was a true team win and our depth was helpful…I’m just super proud of them…Ten games in and we haven’t lost. That’s a huge accomplishment. Playing together with great effort and great attitude one day at a time and the numbers will pile up.”
Tournament MVP Raylee Stenzel came up big early with two 3-pointers and she converted a 3-point play to give the Lady Panthers an 18-13 edge.
All-Tournament selection Sadie Schober hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Mountain Grove a 22-13 edge as they made 9-of-14 shots from the field in the opening frame.
Stella Benson, who was also named to the All-Tournament team, opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer during an 8-0 run.
Stenzel scored six more points as the Lady Panthers pushed their lead to as much as 18 before entering the half with a 37-22 edge.
Rowen Kelly made a 3-pointer and scored five points while Benson added seven of her own in a third quarter where Mountain Grove made a blistering 7-of-9 shots from the field.
Schober added five points from the free throw line in the fourth quarter to help seal the big win.
Stenzel led the team with 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and one steal; Schober added 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal; Benson had 12 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal; All-Tournament selection Landry Golden added nine points, five rebounds and one assist; Kelly scored five points, seven rebounds and three assists; Hadley Driskill had four points and two rebounds; and Aubrey Owens scored one point and one steal. Adrienne Bradshaw and Gabby Miller each added one rebound.
In the semifinals, the Lady Panthers held off a pesky Bunker squad to pick up a 61-57 victory.
The Lady Panthers were up five early as Schober scored nine points in a 17-point first quarter.
Both Kelly and Benson hit 3-pointers in the second quarter and Schober added four points, but the Mountain Grove lead was cut to just two points.
Golden struggled from the free throw line in the third quarter, but did score seven of her team’s 16 points.
In the final frame, Kelly, Benson and Schober each scored four points to help Mountain Grove hold on late for the four-point win.
Schober scored 19 points; Benson added 17; Stenzel had 12; Landry Golden scored 11; Kelly added 10; and Driskill had three points.
In round one, the Lady Panthers scored 26 points in the third quarter to pull away from rival Ava, 71-42.
Benson made four, first-half 3-poitners to help the Lady Panthers take an 11-point lead into halftime.
Schober had eight points and Stenzel scored seven in the big third quarter as Mountain Grove never looked back in the win.
Benson finished with 19 points; both Schober and Stenzel had 12 points; Landry Golden scored 10; Driskell added nine; Kelly had three points; while Lyla Golden, Owens and Miller each scored two points.
After the tournament, the Lady Panthers traveled to Alton and left with their 11th win of the season, 64-52.
Stenzel scored 11 points and Benson hit three, 3-pointers in the first half, but the Lady Panthers trailed, 33-24, at the break.
They came out of halftime with a 24-9 run with the help of Schober’s 10 points and Landry Golden’s nine points. Mountain Grove made 10-of-14 free throws in the frame to take a six point lead.
Stenzel made three, 3-pointers and scored 11 points in the fourth to help her team seal the win. She finished the game with 27 points; Benson added 16; Schober scored 11; Landry Golden added seven points; and Kelly scored three points.