Riverside Corrals Lady Mustangs

For the past several years, Buffalo Island Central has held the upper hand over rival Riverside in senior girls basketball. But Thursday night the Lady Rebels turned the tables, knocking off BIC 56-45 in a key 2A-3 conference matchup at the Mustang Athletic Complex in Monette.

"I'm not sure the last time Riverside beat BIC and I really don't care," said Lady Rebel Coach Jeff Womack. "The important thing is we won tonight. This was a very big conference win, especially on the road. I thought we played well. We did a good job on the boards. Kenzley Wilson had a big game for us offensively and Chelsea Nichols hit some huge three's in the fourth quarter when we needed them. Anna Brickell also played a very good game for us tonight."

Riverside broke a 5-5 tie midway through the first quarter on a five-foot hook shot from Jordan Miller and never trailed again. Miller's soft touch ignited a 9-0 Lady Rebel run. Riverside closed the opening stanza leading 14-7.

Mustang senior Taylor McKuin lays the ball in for two points while Lady Rebel Jordan Miller defends in Riverside's victory over BIC Thursday night at the MAC.

Nichols drained a trey to start the second period and Riverside built its lead to 24-10 on a three pointer by Catlyn Sailor with 5:09 left in the half. The Lady Mustangs went on a 6-0 run, capped off by a Hannah Poe three pointer, to cut the Lady Rebel lead to eight. Riverside answered with a 6-0 run of their own when Nichols buried a three and Wilson converted a three point play the old fashioned way. BIC fought back and sliced the lead to 31-22 at the half.

The Lady Mustangs continued to battle back in the third quarter and pulled to within 36-31 on back to back buckets by senior post Taylor McKuin. Blaire Wildy's offensive stick-back at the 2:29 mark suddenly had BIC within three before Natalie Milligan's five-foot floater gave the Lady Rebels a 38-33 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Wilson's 12-footer, followed by a Nichols trey, put Riverside ahead 43-33 early in the fourth, but the Lady Mustangs put on one last charge, thanks to a Bailey Owens three and an inside Cidnie Brooks bucket, making the score 46-40 with 3:05 left.

Nichols put the dagger in BIC's heart, draining a long three with 2:20 to go in the game, and the Lady Mustangs never got closer than eight points the rest of the way.

"We just didn't shoot very well at all tonight," said BIC Head Coach Stan Fowler. "Kenzley Wilson had a big game and Nichols hit some big threes. They are a good team. I thought Karo Thomas played a good game and Ashley Field gave us some good minutes in the second quarter. Overall, Riverside outplayed us tonight."

Riverside's Haven Robertson and Brittney Sain battle an unidentified Junior Lady Mustang for the basketball Thursday night at the MAC.

Wilson paced Riverside with a game high 23 points while Nichols finished with 12 points on four three pointers. Brickell also hit double digits, scoring 10 points. Milligan had five while Sailor and Miller added three points apiece for the Lady Rebels, who improved to 6-1 overall and 1-1 in league play.

BIC (7-2, 2-2 2A-3) was led by Poe's 16 points. Thomas tallied seven while McKuin and Field chipped in five points apiece. Wildy tallied four, Owens and Madison Greathouse pitched in three points each while Brooks added two.

In junior high action, BIC improved to 7-2 overall and 4-0 in the league with a 46-36 victory over the Lady Rebels.

Molly Hart paced BIC with 16 points while Heather Sipes added 11. Curston Davis tallied six, Makayla Rogers scored five, Kayla Griffin contributed four while Jona Carmichael and Cadyn Qualls added two points apiece.

Riverside seventh grader Carson Smith sprints down the court in full flight Thursday night in junior girls basketball action at BIC.

Bailey Fisher led the Lady Rebels with 15 points while Haven Robertson added 14. Carson Smith scored five and Hattie Milligan chipped in two points.

Riverside began the week dropping a 58-41 decision to Marmaduke. Chelsea Nichols led the Lady Rebels with 12 points while Kenzley Wilson added 10.

Shelby Blackburn led Marmaduke with 15 points while Sidnee Bopp and Alex Richey added 12 and 10 points respectively.

In junior high action, Riverside fell to Marmaduke 47-21. Jordan Mays led the Lady Greyhounds with 14 points while Emily Clardy had 12.

Haven Robertson topped the Lady Rebels with 12 points. Kaylee Fitzgerald scored five while Brittney Sain chipped in four.

Riverside lost to McArthur 34-22 in the Bay Invitational Tournament. Brittney Sain drained three treys and finished with a team high 10 points for the Lady Rebels. Haven Robertson and Carson Smith scored five points apiece while Bailey Fisher added two points.

The Lady Rebels will return to action Monday night playing host to Black Rock in a nonconference contest.