Lady Mustangs’ win against Leander Rouse puts Marble Falls back in playoff picture
MARBLE FALLS — A 39-35 victory against Leander Rouse on Jan. 5 means the Marble Falls High School girls basketball team is right back in the playoff race, though the Lady Raiders made the Lady Mustangs earn every point.
“But even more important then the district race,” Marble Falls head coach Chris Jost said, “is that’s the best we’ve played for four quarters in a month.”
PHOTO 1: Marble Falls High School senior guard Katy Bartels (right) forces Leander Rouse junior point guard Baylee Peck to pick up her dribble and look for an open teammate as Marble Falls junior guard Blanca Fonseca (center) anticipates a pass to the opposite sideline during the Lady Mustangs’ win Jan. 5. Staff photos by Jennifer Fierro
PHOTO 2: Marble Falls High School senior post Hayley Fishbeck (left) is a step closer to the ball than Leander Rouse junior forward Korvette Phillips.
Marble Falls took a 33-26 lead into the fourth period thanks to senior guard Katy Bartels, who dropped in eight of her 11 points in the quarter.
But with two minutes 10 seconds left in the game, Rouse trailed 36-35. Bartels and junior guard Sarah Stripling added three free throws in the final 93 seconds for the Lady Mustangs.
The Marble Falls defense kept the Lady Raiders from scoring again. Marble Falls junior guard Blanca Fonseca blocked a layup, while junior post Teagan Hall tied up the ball for a jump ball and stepped in front of pass for steal that forced Rouse to foul Stripling with five seconds left in the game.
“We had intense effort from everybody who stepped on the court,” Jost said. “When we do that, we can play with anybody in Class 4A.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com
[tabs style=”default”] [tab title=”GAME STATS”]
TOP PLAYERS: Sarah Stripling 13 points, 2 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal; Katy Bartels 11 points, 2 rebounds, 3 steals
ON OFFENSE: Points – Blanca Fonseca 6, Teagan Hall 4, Hayley Fishbeck 3, Reann Hall 2; assists – Fonseca 4, R. Hall 1, T. Hall 1; rebounds – Fishbeck 1, R. Hall 1
ON DEFENSE: Steals – Fonseca 3, T. Hall 2, R. Hall 1, Kaitlynn Naumann 1; rebounds – R. Hall 1, T. Hall 1, Fonseca 1; blocks – R. Hall 1
QUOTABLE: “We have to play with defensive intensity for 32 minutes. No matter what our offense is doing, we have to play our defense effectively,” Marble Falls head coach Chris Jost said.
RECORDS: Marble Falls is 16-9 overall and 2-2 in District 25-4A; Rouse is 2-3 in District 25-4A.
UP NEXT: Marble Falls at Leander Vandegrift, 9700 McNeil Drive in Austin, 7 p.m. Jan. 8
[/tab] [tab title=”DISTRICT STANDINGS”]
Cedar Park Vista Ridge, 4-0
Cedar Park, 3-1
Leander, 3-1
Marble Falls, 2-2
Leander Rouse, 2-3
Dripping Springs, 1-4
Leander Vandegrift, 0-4
[/tab] [/tabs]
