Making 3-pointers early and down the stretch sparked Staples-Motley to a 73-57 Mid-State Conference victory over the Park Rapids girls basketball team Friday night at the Area High School gym.
A trio of 3-pointers gave the Cardinals an early 27-6 lead before Park Rapids rallied to cut the gap to 38-35. Staples-Motley then hit six more 3-pointers in the final 12:31 to seal the win.
Claire Wolhowe and Sam Schimpp connected from long range and Chelsea Nanik converted a pair of layups as the Cardinals jumped out to a 14-2 lead. Another 3-pointer by Wolhowe, a three-point play by Schimpp and a 3-pointer by Kelsie Weite pushed the lead to 27-6 with 7:46 to play in the first half.
The Panthers rallied behind a jumper by Jaiden McCollum; layups by Kendra Coborn, Rilee Michaelson and McCollum; and jumpers by Michaelson and Coborn. Kaisa Coborn's 3-pointer at the buzzer made it 32-21 at the half.
Park Rapids maintained that momentum into the second half as three 3-pointers by Macky Warne, a basket off a rebound by Megan Jewison and a layup by Michaelson closed the gap to 38-35 with 14:39 to play.
ADVERTISEMENT
Staples-Motley regained a double-digit lead as Schimpp, Ashley Smith and Weite connected on 3-pointers for a 51-41 advantage at the 11:09 mark. Two 3-pointers by Schimpp and a three-point play by Wolhowe pushed the lead to 68-50 with 4:08 to play. Warne scored off a rebound while Kaisa Coborn, McCollum and Kendra Coborn hit jumpers for the Panthers during that stretch.
After Kaisa Coborn connected on a 3-pointer and Paige Johnson scored inside to make it 68-55 with 2:59 to go, another 3-pointer by Schimpp sealed the win.
Wolhowe scored 21 points, Nanik finished with 17 points, Schimpp scored 15 points and Weite added 10 points as the Cardinals connected on 10 3-pointers to improve to 3-0 in the conference and 10-2 overall. Staples-Motley defeated the Panthers 73-62 earlier this season.
McCollum's 16 points and nine rebounds and Warne's 11 points led the Panthers, who fell to 1-3 in the conference and 4-6 overall. Kaisa Coborn added five rebounds, five assists and three steals while Warne, Kendra Coborn and Michaelson had four rebounds apiece. McCollum and Johnson dished out three assists each.
Pequot Lakes is 1-0 in the conference and 10-1 overall while Detroit Lakes is 1-1 in the conference and 5-8 overall and Crosby-Ironton is 1-3 in the conference and 6-6 overall.
STAPLES-MOTLEY: Weite 4 0-2 10, Nanik 7 3-4 17, Schimpp 5 1-1 15, Wolhowe 8 2-3 21, Robben 2 1-3 5, Smith 1 0-0 3, Dumpprope 1 0-0 2. Totals: 28 (FG), 7 for 13 (FT).
PARK RAPIDS: Warne 4 0-0 11, Ka. Coborn 3 0-0 8, Ke. Coborn 3 0-0 6, McCollum 8 0-2 16, Jewison 1 1-2 3, Klemmer 0 0-0 0, Bellanger 0 0-0 0, Byer 0 0-0 0, Michaelson 3 1-2 7, P. Johnson 3 0-0 6, McDonald 0 0-0 0. Totals: 25 of 67 (FG), 2 for 6 (FT).
Halftime: S-M 32, Park Rapids 21. Three-pointers: Weite 2, Schimpp 4, Wolhowe 3, Smith 1, Warne 3, Ka. Coborn 2. Team fouls: S-M 8, Park Rapids 16. Rebounds: Park Rapids 32 (McCollum 9, Ka. Coborn 5, Warne 4, Ke. Coborn 4, Michaelson 4, P. Johnson 3, Byer 1, Jewison 1, McDonald 1). Assists: Park Rapids 15 (Ka. Coborn 5, McCollum 3, P. Johnson 3, Ke. Coborn 2, Bellanger 1, Michaelson 1). Steals: Park Rapids 8 (Ka. Coborn 3, McCollum 2, Warne 1, Jewison 1, P. Johnson 1). Blocked shots: Park Rapids 1 (Michaelson). Turnovers: Park Rapids 13.
