Lady Mustangs get victory over Leander Rouse
MARBLE FALLS — Facing a must-win game for a shot at the playoffs, the Marble Falls girls basketball team got the victory it needed, defeating Leander Rouse 42-34 Jan. 31.
"I’m just so thankful," said head coach Stephanie Gamble said. "We were able to execute and looked to take care of the ball."
The first half was the Sarah Stripling show. The sophomore guard scored 16 of the Lady Mustangs’ (4-6) 18 first-half points to help Marble Falls seize a 14-6 lead after the first quarter and an 18-14 half-time lead. She finished with 22 points.
Stripling nailed four 3-pointers in the first half thanks to screens that gave her open looks at the basket.
Rouse, however, began to trim away at the deficit in the third period and took a 27-24 lead.
But that lasted less than minute thanks to Stripling’s fourth 3-pointer and her assist to sophomore post Haley Stephens for a basket to finish out the period with a one-point lead.
After the two teams had a 29-29 tie, Marble Falls went on an 8-0 run that put the game out of reach.
The Lady Mustangs were 12 of 19 from the foul line, while the Lady Raiders were 5 of 8.
Marble Falls committed only eight turnovers.
Sophomore guard Blanca Fonseca added seven points, while Stephens finished with six.
Offensively, the Lady Mustangs didn’t go the basket as much as Gamble wanted and gave up 12 offensive rebounds, which Rouse capitalized on in the second half.
But in the end, the Lady Mustangs, with a nine-point lead in the final two minutes, emerged as the victors.
"We finished the game, finished it out," Gamble said. "We finished strong. We battled."
Marble Falls will travel to face Cedar Park Vista Ridge 7 p.m. Feb. 3.