Riverside raced to a 30-8 halftime lead and went on to hammer Buffalo Island Central 60-17 in senior girls 2A-3 conference basketball action Tuesday night at the Mustang Athletic Complex in Monette.
The Lady Rebels took a 13-5 lead after the first break behind the offensive punch of Grace Puckett, who dropped in eight first period points. Riverside scored the first 10 points of the second quarter to take a commanding 25-5 lead with less than two minutes left before intermission. Brianna Lambert knocked down a three pointer for the Lady Mustangs for their only score of the second stanza. Anna Meurer drained a triple to close out the first half with Riverside ahead by 22 points. The Lady Rebels moved ahead 50-15 after three periods of play, invoking the mercy rule in the final frame as Riverside coasted to the victory.
The Lady Rebels placed three players in double digits, led by Puckett and Bean Hoffman, who pumped in 14 points apiece, while Lotti Hoffman tacked on 11. Meurer canned three treys and finished with nine points. Briley Douglas and Hailey Carr rounded out the scoring with six points each. Riverside sank 8-9 foul shots and banged home four three pointers.
Haddyn Hurst paced the Lady Mustangs with eight points. Lambert tallied three while Morgan James, Jealynn Cates and Emma Graddy all finished with two points each. BIC made 4-8 foul shots and drilled three treys.
In junior high action, BIC slipped past Riverside 28-26. Lexi Riley led the Lady Mustangs with 11 points. Hallee Wells scored nine, Emily Davis and Krystyn Hawkins tallied three points apiece while Haley Milligan added two points.
Lexi Moyer topped the Lady Rebels with nine points. Kaley Stevens and Amber Courtney pitched in six points each. Hannah Gosa netted three while Gracie Washington chipped in two points.
Riverside began the week by pounding Sloan Hendrix 75-32 Monday night at Lake City. The Lady Rebels stormed to a 27-7 lead after the first break and took a 48-15 advantage into the dressing room at intermission. Riverside led 58-27 after three quarters.
Meurer and Lotti Hoffman paced Riverside with 18 points apiece. Bean Hoffman scored 12, Douglas had 11, Carr contributed seven while Puckett dropped in six. Alexis Courtney posted three points.
Samantha Webb paced Sloan Hendrix with 12 points.
In the junior high contest, Riverside defeated Sloan Hendrix 39-32. Gosa paced the Lady Rebels with 12 points. Washington and Moyer scored six points apiece, Ali Towles had five while Courtney netted four. Kalli Shasteen and Kaley Stevens added three points each.
Mikayla Gosha topped Sloan Hendrix with 14 points while Carley Morgan added 10.
Riverside traveled to Harrisburg Friday night and mercy-ruled the Lady Hornets 60-17. The Lady Rebels led 19-7 after the first quarter, 29-7 at the half and 42-16 entering the final frame.
Puckett pumped in a game high 22 points to lead Riverside. Meurer scored 14 while Bean Hoffman added 10 points.
Riverside also won the junior high contest 46-11.
The Lady Rebels (14-3, 5-0) return to the hardcourt Thursday night when they take on Newport in first round action of the NEA Tournament in Jonesboro.