Three Jays score in double figures to head into break 5-1

The Three Lakes-Phelps girls basketball team went into the winter break on a high note, as three Bluejays scored in double figures during a 56-37 win over Phillips last Monday night in Three Lakes that put the team at 5-1 overall. The team will now have a few weeks of rest between games. 

Senior Paige Brafford led the team with 16 points on eight made field goals, and seniors  Kassidy Williams and Libby Eppler finished with 11 and 10 points. 

Offensively, the Bluejays started a little slow and trailed 8-4 with 12:30 left in the opening half and 14-9 with 9:20 to play in the first. Brafford showed off her length early in the game and had three blocks up to that point. Over the next five minutes of game time, Three Lakes-Phelps went on a 15-5 run to grab a 26-19 lead with about four minutes left in the first half. Sophomore Malia Szews scored two of her nine points on a layup to spark the original run. Eppler also got into the action during the first half. The Jays went into the locker room with a 31-24 lead. 

Sophomore Cora Johnson gave her team a double-digit lead early in the second half after a steal on the defensive end led to a layup on the other end. The team cruised on from there and won the game by 19. Phillips scored just 13 points in the second half thanks to the defensive pressure from the Bluejays.  

Three Lakes-Phelps finished by outrebounding the Loggers by 12, 50-38. The Jays also assisted on 12 of their 26 made field goals. Coach Brown’s defense also got after it with 20 steals in the win. 

The team will now have three weeks off between games. Coach Brown said the team will stay fresh throughout the break and will continue to sharpen their skills. The Jays return to conference play after the break, with a road game scheduled at Florence on Tuesday, Jan. 6, at 7:15 p.m.