People love it when a good plan comes together - including basketball coaches.
Tuesday evening, the West Prairie/Southeastern High School girls basketball team was one happy bunch.
The Cyclones dominated host Bushnell-Prairie City in the opening half on the way to notching a 61-31 Prairieland Conference South Division victory.
WP/SE improved to 13-10 overall, 1-1 in Prairieland South play. B-PC dropped to 3-16 overall, 0-3 in conference contests.
“It was nice to see our game plan come to life,” said WP/SE coach Grant Bland. “The best part was it was a total team effort. Everybody did their job.”
The game plan for WP/ SE was pressure defense and transition basketball.
Leading 3-2 in the opening minutes, Alyvia Barkley’s traditional threepoint play started a 15-2 run over the remainder of the quarter.
Barkley finished with seven points in the period as the Cyclones bolted out to an 18-4 lead.
Meanwhile, Payton McGrew and Ashlynn Kelley combined for an additional 10 points.
Barkley and the Cyclones continued to roll in the second frame.
The freshman added eight points, while senior Maicyn Shipman scored seven points off the bench. That was part of a 24-point outburst that saw the visitors build a 42-9 lead at halftime.
B-PC managed just two Justice Klinedinst baskets and a Kendyl McCleery free throw in the period.
“We didn’t take care of the ball,” said B-PC coach Nate Zaehringer. “We counted somewhere up around 40 turnovers (for the game).”
The third quarter saw WP/SE outscore B-PC 14-11 in leading 56-20 heading into the last eight minutes.
Senior guard Madelynn Sullvan scored eight points, while McGrew added four for the Cyclones in the period.
Meanwhile, Jules Kreps and Jersey Jones combined for nine Spartan points.
B-PC posted an 11-5 advantage in the final frame as McCleery converted a pair of traditional threepoint plays, while Kreps added a 3-pointer.
Meanwhile WP/SE’s Melodee Ford scored a pair of baskets, including a trey with the Cyclones bench erupting in glee for the senior.
Barkley and Sullivan topped WP/SE with 15 and 10 points respectively. Barkley also had four steals, three rebounds and two assists while Sullivan also recorded five assists and three steals.
“Ashlynn Kelley stepped up when we needed another big, (on the inside)” said Bland of the sophomore, who finished with eight points and five rebounds. “She played extremely well.”
McGrew also scored eight points, along with pulling down a team-leading seven rebounds.
Shipman scored seven points, followed by Ford with five points. Madison McClure added a 3-pointer, while Emily Martin and Addy Stanberry scored two points each. Stanberry also had three rebounds.
Josie Hodges chipped in a free throw, while also handing out five assists for the Cyclones.
McCleery topped B-PC with 11 points.
Kreps added eight points, all in the second half, followed by Klinedinst with six. Jones scored four points and Scarlett Countryman two for the Spartans.
The Cyclones returned home Thursday, facing Macomb (12-9, 1-1) for a Prairieland South Division contest. WP/SE will then host Elmwood (13-8) on Monday.
B-PC will host Ridgewood (8-10) Saturday before returning to Prairieland South Division play Monday hosting South Fulton (3-13, 0-1).
Bushnell-Prairie City’s jersey Jones (14) puts up a shot as West Prairie/Southeastern’s Payton McGrew (21) attempts to make the block. Photo by Shelby Burget
