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The Parry McCluer High School girls basketball team used a second-half defensive masterclass to claim a 41-28 win over Narrows in Pioneer District girls basketball action in Buena Vista on Friday.
The Fighting Blues (12-2 overall, 4-1 district), coming off a 60-29 district road win over Craig County on Tuesday of last week, trailed 23-20 at halftime against Narrows (6-10, 2-3), but they held the Green Wave scoreless in the third quarter and allowed just five points in the final frame to earn the win.
With the victory, the Blues completed a sweep of the regular-season series with the Green Wave. When the teams met on Dec. 16 at Narrows, the Blues won 5544.
In the rematch, Anna Claytor tallied 14 points and 13 rebounds for the Blues, while Payton Emore recorded 12 points. Emma Helvey notched nine points and six rebounds for Narrows, and Kennah Spencer pulled down a team-best 12 rebounds.
After a solid offensive first half – in which six different players scored for the Green Wave – the Blues clamped down after the break. PM head coach Adam Gilbert thought that his team’s defensive effort was quite comprehensive.
“Second half, I thought just the overall intensity” was the key, Gilbert said. “The help-side was there when they would go to drive; the gaps were closed off … We contested shots; we altered shots. I thought we did a better job rebounding in the second half.”
Though the Blues took over after the intermission, the first two quarters were extremely competitive. Helvey buried a pair of early 3-pointers for Narrows, while the Blues’ Victoria Hamilton scored six of her eight points before halftime.
After Hamilton’s midrange jumper gave PM a 13-11 lead early in the second period, the Green Wave reeled off six straight points, going in front 17-13 on Mya Robertson’s putback at the 3:55 mark. Narrows would lead 23-17 in the closing seconds, but Emore drained a big triple right before the buzzer to make it a onepossession game (23-20) at the half.
Emore, a junior guard for the Blues, always gets high marks for her energy on the floor. She typically contributes several rebounds, assists and defensive plays – her stat line on Friday included four boards and three dimes – and against Narrows, the scoring punch came as well.
“I never have to worry about Payton – if she’s going to play hard – and that’s comforting to know,” Gilbert said. “Tonight, she hit a few shots from the outside, which helps, and she attacked the basket there in the second half.”
The Blues outscored Narrows 10-0 in the third quarter, getting four points apiece from Emore and Claytor. The Green Wave finally got on the board in the second half courtesy of a Spencer free throw early in the final period, but Emore answered with a three-point play that made it 33-24 with 6:41 remaining.
Claytor then took over, scoring six straight PM points as the Blues extended the margin to 39-26 with 3:33 to play. After struggling to feed the ball to their top scorer in the first half – Claytor had just one field goal across the first two periods – the Blues made some adjustments so that she could get touches in the paint.
“We went to a few different looks, some set plays against the zone,” Gilbert said. “A few other kids were looking to attack [in the second half], and I think that helped open things up a little bit more inside for Anna.”
Robertson finished with eight points and three assists for Narrows. Addisen Roberts totaled five rebounds and four assists for the Blues, and Natalie Mohler picked up two assists.
Offense may come and go, but the Blues’ defensive work in the second half against Narrows bodes well as the postseason approaches.
“We just did a much better job, second half, staying true to what’s gotten us to this point at the defensive end of the floor,” Gilbert said.
PM 60, CC 29
PM eased to a 60-29 Pioneer victory over Craig County in New Castle last Tuesday.
Claytor totaled 24 points, 12 rebounds and a pair of blocks as the Blues defeated the Rockets for the second time this season. Annabelle Gregory finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds and four steals for CC, and Hannah Ratliff grabbed eight rebounds.
But no other Rocket scored more than four points in the game. PM limited CC to an 18.5 percent shooting clip (12-of-65) from the field and forced 19 turnovers. And the Blues were dominant early, outscoring the Rockets 37-9 in the first half.
Emore tallied seven points, eight rebounds and three assists for PM, and Mohler contributed seven points and six boards. Piera Conner scored six points off the bench, while Hamilton notched five points and seven rebounds, and Roberts added five points and four assists.
With the victory, the Blues completed a sweep of the regular-season series with the Rockets. When the teams met on Dec. 13 in Buena Vista, PM won 47-19.
The Blues were slated to visit Covington last night. PM will take on James River at 10 a.m. on Saturday in the Rock the Ribbon Roundball Shootout at Rockbridge County High School. PM will attempt to avenge its only district loss on Tuesday at home against Eastern Montgomery, starting with junior varsity action at 5:30 p.m.
