Gentry girls break open game

— Gentry girls basketball coach Tim Rippy wanted to see effort, and he liked what he saw Monday night.

The Lady Pioneers dominated the backboards and broke the game open in the third quarter en route to a 57-34 nonconference victory over Lincoln.

Several days of intense practices paid dividends Monday, Rippy said.

“We’ve had some pretty rough practices the last four days,” Rippy said. “What we were wanting as coaches was unbelievable effort. Our intensity in practice has been good and I thought we brought that to the game."

Gentry (8-2) finally shook off Lincoln by finishing the third quarter with a 16-2 run after theLady Wolves had pulled within 28-23 to start the period. The Lady Pioneers also outrebounded Lincoln 42-24 for the game and had 23 rebounds in the first two periods alone.

Lincoln coach Deon Birkes said effort was definitely the difference.

“I know they (outworked us), especially in the second half,” said Birkes, who starts five underclassmen. “We’ve got to get better. We’re young, but that’s not an excuse.

“That’s a crutch. Youth can get down there and block out and play hard.

“That’s basketball and we’re not doing that right now,” Birkes said.

Courtney Millsap poured in a game-high 22 points, including five 3-pointers, while Terra Jones added 12.

RaShelle Goldman led Lincoln (3-8) with 16 points.

The Gentry girls fell to Greenland last week in a one-point loss, 45-46.

Lincoln 66, Gentry 58

BOYS - Lincoln placed four players in double figures, led by Dakota Leming’s 23 points, and held off a late Gentry rally to claim the win.

A 7-0 spurt keyed by three rebound buckets helped give Lincoln (5-5) control and a 60-44 lead with three minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Gentry’s Joe Morris scored every point in an 11-0 burst to pull his Pioneers (3-6) to within 60-55 on a long 3-pointer from the left wing with 1 minute, 2 seconds left. But the Wolves hit 6 of 8 free throws in the final 49.8seconds to seal the win.

Leming scored 16 of his 23 points in the second half and it was his stickback off a teammates’ missed free throw which gave Lincoln the 60-44 fourth-quarter lead.

However, he had plenty of help. Spencer Hulse and Cheyenne Vaughn added 14 points each and Horacio Escareno chipped in 13, including three 3-pointers.

Morris, a 5-foot-9 senior, scored 14 fourthquarter points and finished with a game-high 29.

Kevin Scherer added 14 for the Pioneers, who trailed by 10 at halftime and 48-40 entering the fourth quarter.

The Gentry boys also fell to Greenland in a close game on Dec. 7, losing 52-59.

Sports, Pages 8 on 12/15/2010