The California girls basketball team showed signs of improvement in Monday night's game at the Mexico tournament, but it wasn't quite enough to pull out the victory.
After taking a five-point lead in the fourth quarter against Tolton Catholic (Columbia), the Lady Pintos were hindered down the stretch by turnovers and missed free throws, leading to a 42-37 loss. California finished 3-of-11 from the free throw line.
"We were playing well, but the wheels fell off," Lady Pintos coach Bobby Sangster said. "It's not one person's fault, but we need girls to step up and make plays. We're a young team, so it's still a learning experience."
California senior guard Kamryn Koetting led the team with 11 points. The Lady Pintos (0-2) play their second game at the Mexico tournament against Battle (Columbia) at 6 p.m. today. Their final tournament game comes against Mexico at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
"We played great defense (Monday), but we're not hitting shots right now," Sangster said. "We couldn't seem to find the basket, even though we had opportunities to score."
Tipton 59, Bunceton 27
The Lady Cardinals cruised past Bunceton in Monday's opening round at the Tipton Basketball Tournament. Senior forward Ashton Pace finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while junior guard Destiny Dowell added 16 points and five assists.
Tipton's defense overwhelmed Bunceton, forcing 22 turnovers in the first half to open a 33-11 advantage.
"Our defense shut them down," Tipton coach Jason Culpepper said. "The girls were excited to start our tournament on a positive note."
The Lady Cardinals (2-0) face Jamestown in a semifinal game at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. The tournament championship is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday.
Jamestown 36, Chamois 33
Junior guard Alli Muri finished with 12 points and junior forward Mackenzie Strother scored nine in the Lady Eagles' victory Monday night over Chamois at the Tipton Basketball Tournament. Jamestown faces host Tipton in the semifinals at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
Prairie Home 50, Northwest 22
Sophomore forward Rachel Distler had 20 points, which included four 3-pointers, in the Lady Panthers' season-opening victory over Northwest on Monday, Nov. 24. Prairie Home junior center Makayla Zey finished with nine points and sophomore forward Shianne Rhorer scored eight.
Prairie Home 67, Northwest 29
The Panthers boys basketball team began the season Tuesday, Nov. 25, with a big victory over Northwest. Senior forward Kody Simmons had 15 points, sophomore guard Ross Kendrick scored 12 and senior guard Rayce Kendrick added 11 points.
Eldon 60, Russellville 51
The Russellville boys basketball team dropped its season-opener Tuesday, Nov. 25, at Eldon. Senior forward Levi Anderson led the Indians with 17 points, while senior guard Zach Voss added 13 points.
Middle school update
The seventh grade California girls basketball team started its season with big victories over Laura Speed Elliott (Boonville) on Monday, Nov. 17, and Fulton on Thursday, Nov. 20, to begin with a 2-0 record. California beat Laura Speed Elliott 51-4 and dropped Fulton 40-2. Hailey Cain combined to score 19 points in the two games, while Paige Lamm scored 17 in the wins.