RIVERSIDE, Mo. — Park Hill South didn’t face the same offensive barrage but still couldn’t keep up with the Suburban Conference Red Division leaders on Friday, Feb. 10.
NICK INGRAM/Citizen photo
Park Hill South sophomore De’Jaria Guillory goes in for a layup against Truman on Friday, Feb. 10 at Park Hill South High School in Riverside, Mo.
Truman held on for a 52-42 win at Park Hill South High School to maintain a lead in the league standings and pull the season sweep of the Panthers. In the first meeting, the Patriots hit a nearly miraculous 19 3-pointers in an 80-59 win.
“Coming off the last time we played them, this was a little better,” Park Hill South coach Josh Dorr said. “I felt like defensively we did better and that was one of the things we were concentrating on.”
With a win Monday, Feb. 13 over Liberty, Park Hill South sits at 10-13 overall but 5-3 in Red Division play. The Panthers have the second spot in the conference standings behind Truman, mostly thanks to a 3-0 start in early January.
Park Hill South hasn’t strung together two or more victories at any other point in the season but also has a recent upset of state-ranked Hickman. The Panthers can no longer win the Red Division title but hope to end the sporadic play during the upcoming postseason.
“Basketball is a long season. It’s been up and down for us and again I think we’re still getting better each game,” Dorr said. “I think we’re getting ready to take off again. I’m excited about districts, and I’m excited about the last few games in conference as well.”
Truman jumped to a 10-0 in the first 4 minutes of the most recent conference game before sophomore Alecia Westbrook scored Park Hill South’s first point, splitting a pair of free throws. Dorr saw the Panthers settling for too many outside shots early instead of working the ball inside to Westbrook or using the athleticism of Dymeria and De’Jaria Guillory to drive into the lane.
NICK INGRAM/Citizen photo
Park Hill South sophomore Alecia Westbrook (25) looks to block a shot against Truman on Friday, Feb. 10 at Park Hill South High School in Riverside, Mo.
“At the end of the first quarter, I told them we shot something like nine 3s and four inside, but by halftime, we had 15 shots inside, and I said that’s not a coincidence that we’re back in the game,” Dorr said.
The offensive lull hit again in the third quarter, and Truman pulled away for good.
Westbrook ended up with a team-high 12 points, while junior Dymeria Guillory followed with eight. De’Jaria Guillory added seven for Park Hill South in the loss.
The Panthers finish Red Division play at St. Joseph Central and vs. Raytown.
Park Hill South 48, Liberty 44
The Panthers rallied back late to clip the Blue Jays on Monday, Feb. 13 in Liberty, Mo.
Westbrook and De’Jaria Guillory hit two 3-pointers apiece to lead the comeback. Westbrook scored a game-high 22 points for Park Hill South, while Dymeria Guillory added 13. The Panthers hit five 3-pointers total and survived despite shooting just 13-for-24 in free throws.
The win put Park Hill South a half game ahead of Liberty and St. Joseph Central in the Red Division standings. The next matchup with Central is Friday, Feb. 17.
Park Hill 60, Blue Springs South 52
The Trojans moved back into second place in the Suburban Conference Gold Division standings with a tight win Monday, Feb. 13 in Blue Springs, Mo.
Alex Berger’s 3-pointer early in the third quarter pushed Park Hill ahead 33-20, and the Trojans were up 43-32 entering the fourth quarter. Taiya Shelby led the way with 14 points, while sophomore Tee Bryant added 13.
Berger hit two of Park Hill’s three 3s to finish with 12 points. Morgen Smith and Gigi Hopkins added eight apiece.
Park Hill improved to 16-6 overall and 7-3 in Gold Division play, a half game up on Blue Springs South. The Trojans’ final two games are against Lee’s Summit and Raymore-Peculiar, and they need wins in both to assure at least a tie for second behind unbeaten Lee’s Summit North.
Park Hill 54, Blue Springs 28
The Trojans forced 33 turnovers in a runaway victory Thursday, Feb. 9 in Blue Springs, Mo.
Berger hit two 3-pointers in the first quarter, and Alison Walls added a third, helping Park Hill take a big early lead. Berger finished with a game-high 16 points, but the Trojans’ production ended up being spread out after building a big halftime lead.
Smith had eight of her nine points in the first half, while Walls only scored two of her eight after halftime.