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Thursday, Jan. 16 -- The Parry McCluer High School girls basketball team pulled away from Craig County in the second half of a 53-31 Pioneer District victory in Buena Vista.
Victoria Hamilton scored 16 of her game-high 18 points after the break, and she also grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out three assists on the night as the Fighting Blues improved to 8-2 overall and 2-0 in the district. Kayleigh Ramsey added 11 points for PM, while Natalie Mohler and Emory Slagle each finished with 10 points and four rebounds.
Daileigh Donithan paced the Rockets (1-10, 0-3 Pioneer) with nine points. Brooklyn Cayton tallied seven markers for Craig, and Kallie Fisher posted six rebounds and five assists.
The Blues opened up the second quarter with an 8-0 run, assuming a 20-8 lead on a Slagle 3-pointer with 5:46 remaining. But the Rockets would shut out PM down the stretch, countering with eight straight points of their own to trim the margin to 20-16 by halftime.
The Blues ramped up the defensive intensity in the third quarter, forcing 11 Craig turnovers and limiting the Rockets to just one field goal in the period. They also got Hamilton going, as the senior scored the first eight points after halftime as part of an overall 10-0 spurt.
PM led 32-20 by the end of the third, and the Blues created further separation early in the fourth quarter with another 10-0 run that made it 42-23.
Peira Conner contributed three points and six rebounds for PM, while Gracie Huffman and Madison Underwood chipped in four points apiece for Craig.
PM is slated to take on Altavista at home on Monday, beginning with junior varsity action at 5:30 p.m.
