Mara Neira was fantastic, scoring 25 points, but Presbyterian College couldn’t quite track down Wright State in its final game in the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic.

The Blue Hose lost both games in the Las Vegas, Nev., round robin, predictably played at South Point Arena on Thursday and Friday. The Fairborn, Ohio, school won, 66-60, behind 14 points apiece from Alexis Hutchinson and Rachel Loobie and 12 from Kacee Baumhower.

Eastern Washington thrashed the Blue Hose, 92-52, in the first contest.

“Our kids competed and played a lot tougher [Friday],” stated PC head coach Alaura Sharp. “We are proud of their response. There is a lot we can take away from this tournament. Our end-of-game execution will be something we can look at and learn from. I’m really thankful to our administration and everyone that made it possible for us to be able to compete against two quality opponents.”

In a sense, the first quarter was the difference in the game because Wright State mostly maintained the six-point lead (22-16) it built, leading by five at the break, six after three and five at the end. Wright State (7-6) built a small cushion and mostly maintained it.

The game was tied four times. Presbyterian (8-6) got no closer in the fourth quarter than three points with 38 seconds to play.

Neira was 10/18 from the field, 5/11 for three and, oddly, 0/2 at the foul line. She had three rebounds, three fouls, two assists, two turnovers and two steals.

The shooting overall was moribund. PC shot .414 (24/58) overall, .296 (8/27) from long range and .556 (5/9) at the line. The Raiders’ numbers were .375 (21/56), .250 (6/24) and .857 (18/21), respectively. Both teams had 36 rebounds. The Blue Hose had five more turnovers (18-13).

The Columbia College Koalas – try saying that three times – are to visit Templeton Center for a New Year’s Eve game that understandably begins at 2 p.m.

Take a look at the stats here.

The round, round robin was bob, bob, bobbing along at Laurens Academy on Friday as the girls slipped past Curtis Baptist, 42-40, on Friday afternoon.

No one won it at the free-throw line, at least not in a broad sense. The visiting Crusaders (Augusta, Ga.) hit 10/22, the local ones 11/26.

Curtis Baptist (8-4) scored half their field goals from beyond the arc, but the penchant for long range cost it dearly in terms of shooting percentage (12-44, .273). The visitors were, in fact, better (.454) from the line.

Laurens Academy (10-1) was unusually balanced in the scoring column. Olivia Huck led with 12 points but was just 3/10 from the floor and 5/10 from the line.

Hannah Ervin added eight, Sadie Bruyere and Rylee Ballard each chipped in seven, Madisyn Graham added five and Emily Suttles had three.

As a team, LA hit 14/39 field goals (.359).

Twelve points was also enough to lead Curtis Baptist. Maci Butler had that total, and Abby Coughlin added 12.

Braydon Burke bombed in five three-pointers (in 11 tries) and scored 17 points, but Curtis Baptist (11-0) won the boys’ game, 67-53.

Ty Shine scored 17 for the visiting Crusaders and was joined in double figures by Trez Mincey with 14, Chas Beasley with 12 and Treivan Wright with 11.

Also scoring for Laurens Academy (5-7) were Jared Willard (8), Buddy Baker (8), Garrison Vaughn (7), Garrett Murphy (6), Hunter Campbell (3), Elijah Hornberger (2) and Tristan Bates (2).

Curtis Baptist connected on 11/17 free throws, Laurens Academy 7/10.

The winners’ overall shooting percentage was .407 (24/59). Laurens Academy shot .365 (19/52).

Curtis Baptist led 30-26 at halftime but stretched out by scoring 22 points to LA’s seven in the final eight minutes.

Bryanna Belton scored 22 points, more than enough for the Clinton girls to dispatch Newberry, 55-18, at CHS.

“We played well offensively and defensively,” stated Red Devils head coach John Gardner. “I’m proud of the week they’ve had.”

Clinton (7-3) played consistent quarters, scoring 16, 14, 13 and 12, in order, while Newberry (3-5) was producing eight, one, three and six.

The Bulldogs’ leading scorer, Tamaria Wadsworth, scored seven points.

Ry’Daija Mars joined double figures for the Red Devils with 13. Also scoring were McKenzie Clark (7), Nah’shia Wright (6), Zakalia Redd (4) and Saniya White (3).

Behind 22 points from Tushawan Richardson, Clinton (4-4) put away the Bulldogs, 61-56.

Kadon Crawford and Nyterian Smith each added 10 as the Red Devils mostly preserved the eight-point lead they built in the first half.

Also scoring for Clinton were M.J. Henderson (5), Denarian Aiken (4), Zy’Darrion Butler (4) and Keleja Byrd (1).

The JVs made it a sweep as the girls won, 46-17, and the boys, 55-42.

Merry Christmas. I’m thankful for your support, whether by advertising, contributing or reading.

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