FARMINGTON — Gentry may have had the biggest player on the floor, but Farmington was the quicker team and it showed Friday night.
Farmington forced 23 turnovers and broke open the game with an 18-5 run en route to a 56-32 4A-1 Conference basketball win over the Lady Pioneers.
Gentry center Heather Marshall, a 6-4 senior, had Farmington’s attention coming into the game, but the Lady Cardinals still enjoyed a significant rebounding advantage in the game.
Farmington girls coach Brad Johnson said his team’s work on the boards was definitely a key in the game.
“We knew the rebounding situation was going to come down to us outworking them,” Johnson said. “Our kids played with a sense of urgency both rebounding and defensively.”
Gentry coach Tim Rippy said the Lady Cardinals beat his team to the ball consistently.
“Their athleticism was a difference,” Rippy said. “Even when we were trying to box them out, they were able to beat us to the ball and get stickbacks. The other things was we had way too many turnovers.”
The Lady Cardinals (9-1, 2-0 4A-1 Conference) were tied with Gentry 16-16 midway through the second quarter, but went on an 18-5 run throughout the end of the second and beginning of the third quarter to take control.
Farmington scored the final seven points of the half for a 23-16 lead. The Lady Cardinals still led 28-21 after Gentry’s Destiny Thomas canned a 3-pointer, but they responded with six straight points keyed by junior Haley Maxwell.
Maxwell, who finished with a game-high 17 points all in the second half, hit two free throws, then hit a layup after a Gentry turnover for a 34-21 Farmington lead.
Rippy said Maxwell has a scorer’s mentality and never quits. That was evident, after the 5-6 junior was held scoreless in the first half.
“She has a nose for the rim,” Rippy said. “She does a good job of getting her body in position in space. She’s really good in the open floor. I thought our point guard Tiffany Rhame did a good job of controlling the game and getting the ball to people in the right spots.”
Farmington never looked back from that big run, leading 41-25 after three quarters.
Kristi Duchanois was also in double figures with 13 for the Lady Cardinals, including 10 in the first half. Marshall was Gentry’s only player in double figures with 14.
Prep Basketball
4A-1 Conference
FARMINGTON 56, GENTRY 32
Gentry 8 8 9 7 — 32
Farmington 12 11 18 15 — 56
Gentry (5-5, 0-2): Marshall 14, Thomas 8, Cripps 3, Page 3, Arnold 2, Olds 2.
Farmington (9-1, 2-0): Maxwell 17, Duchanois 13, Scheyder 9, Sigmon 6, Scales 4, Blackburn 3, Rhame 2, Irvin 2.
Boys
Farmington 80, Gentry 29
The Cardinals rolled to a 51-14 halftime lead and cruised to the easy 4A-1 Conference win.
Farmington (6-3, 2-0) led 24-10 after a quarter, then outscored the Pioneers (4-6, 0-2) 27-4 in the second quarter.
The Cardinals placed four in double figures led by Josh Mueller’s game-high 14 points. Matt Brackett added 11, while Chase Garner and Alex Dellett had 10 apiece.
Dusty Haag led Gentry with eight.