The Mount Vernon Girls Varsity Basketball team (20-2) hosted the Dike New Hartford Wolverines (13-10) at the Stable Wednesday night for the Regional 3A Girls Varsity Basketball Semifinal.
The Mustangs started hot right from the opening tip off, setting a fast pace that the Wolverines struggled to match. In the first few minutes of the matchup, Franck, Wright, and Pershing all found the hoop, creating an early scoring run for the ‘Stangs.
“We wanted to come out aggressive and set the tempo of the game right away,” said Pershing. “Our defense helped us create some easy turnovers that gave us some easy baskets.”
The Wolverine defense struggled to slow down an explosive Mustang offense in play off mode. As the ‘Stangs continued to push the tempo, they used their steals and transition opportunities to their advantage. The Wolverines could only answer with 2 points from the free throw line in the first eight minutes.
Wright led the charge and at the end of a fast-paced first quarter the Mustangs led 26-2.
“We moved the ball really well tonight,” Savanna Wright said. “Everything just clicked from the start.”
The second quarter was pretty much the same with the Mustangs dominating the Wolverines on both sides of the ball.
With a running clock and a large lead of 62-12, the MV Mustangs went deep into their lineup, rotating in more players and giving their starters a well-deserved break. The bench gained valuable game experience and gave fans a glimpse of what next season’s roster could bring.
“It was fun to see our depth get experience on the floor tonight,” Coach Misener shared.
The energy remained high through the third and fourth quarters, with Sophia Meester stepping up defensively with multiple stops in the paint keeping the Mustangs in control of the game.
Mount Vernon closed out the regional matchup with a 72-20 victory, advancing on their road to the state tournament.
Player of the Game Courtney Franck delivered a standout performance, shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range and finishing with 12 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and eight assists. Wright paced the team with 21 points and six assists, while Taylor Franck also scored 21 points. Pershing added 11 points, connecting on three of six attempts from beyond the arc.
Mount Vernon will face Mid-Prairie in the Stable at 7p.m. on Saturday, Feb.21.
