Alva Review-Courier -

After a first round loss to Woodward, the Alva Ladybugs faced John Marshall Friday morning in the Wheat Capital Tournament consolation semi-finals at Chisholm. The Lady Bears were a much different opponent than Woodward. The Ladybugs dominated the scoring and had little trouble defeating John Marshall to move into the consolation championship game.

In each of the first two quarters, the Alva team scored 23 points while John Marshall managed only five. At halftime, the Ladybugs led 46-10. Alva eased off in the third quarter and the Lady Bears managed nine points while Alva had ten. At the end of three, Alva led 56-19. In the final quarter, the teams also had closer scoring with the Ladybugs taking a 69-30 victory.

With the Ladybug JV team competing in the Oil Center Classic at Woodward this week, the Alva girls brought only eight players to the game, and all had a chance play.

With the win the Ladybugs moved on to play the winner of the Garber vs. Chisholm matchup for the consolation championship at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

First Half

John Marshall’s Jayla Lawson was the first to score as the game opened, hitting a basket from three-point range. The Ladybugs then racked up 21 points before any of the Lady Bears managed to score again.

Chloe Durkee scored early with two treys, but Brooke Perez was the hoop star with 11 total points in the quarter. Perez made four baskets and a free throw before John Marshall scored and added one more before the buzzer. Jaycee Kelln scored four points on two baskets, and Carly Argo hit a jump shot for two. Near the end of the quarter, Arie Allen scored a basket for John Marshall. Alva led 23-5 at the end of the first period.

In the second quarter, it was Durkee who started the scoring with a three-point shot. Soriah Roberson went to the free throw line and made one of two. Perez followed with a trip to the charity stripe, also making one of two. Then Morgan Heath stole the ball and scored on a breakaway layup for Alva.

Perez followed with a basket and then blocked a shot by Lawson. Alva was up 31-6.

Kelln scored and Hallie Hamilton hit a jumper to add four more for the Ladybugs. Roberson made the first basket of the quarter for the Lady Bears. Perez added another Alva basket then Soriah Galloway scored for John Marshall. The score was now Alva 37, John Marshall 10.

Perez made a basket and was fouled. She made the free throw for the three-point play. Durkee added her fourth three-pointer. Heath stole the ball and went for the shot but was fouled. She made one of two tries. Before the half ended, Heath was fouled again, this time making both free throws. At halftime, Alva led 46-10.

Second Half

Perez began the third quarter scoring with an Alva basket. Kellen made one of two shots from the free throw line, and Allen also went to the charity stripe, making one of two tries.

Argo sank a trey from the left wing then Lawson hit a long range three-pointer. Argo stole the ball and passed to Heath who scored. Galloway hit a basket for the Bears. Alva now led 54-16.

Amari Clark scored a basket for John Marshall. Roberson was hurt when she tried a wild runner down the court and fell on the basket attempt. Lila Maytubby went to the free throw line and made one of two shots for John Marshall. Perez made the final basket of the quarter with Alva leading 56-19 at the end of three.

Kelln started the fourth quarter with a basket followed by one from Roberson. Kelln picked off a pass and went to the hoop for another Alva score. The Ladybugs now led 60-21. Lawson went to the line and made both free throws. Kellen scored on one of two tries from the charity stripe. Kelln followed that with a basket. Lakin Gaddy hit a basket on a Kelln assist.

After seven unanswered Alva points, Lawson went to the free throw line on a one-and-one. She made both shots. Roberson made a trey and a basket to finish the John Marshall scoring. Hamilton hit a jumper in the last seconds of the game. The final was Alva 69, John Marshall 30.

Wrap-Up

With the win, the Ladybug season record stands at 8-3. Leading the Alva scoring was Perez with 23 followed by Kelln with 16 and Durkee with 12. Heath had seven, Argo five, Hamilton four and Gaddy two.

The John Marshall scoring was led by Roberson and Lawson with ten points each. Allen had four, Galloway three, Clark two and Maytubby one.

The Ladybugs earned the opportunity to play for the consolation (fifth place) trophy at 1 p.m. Saturday. The John Marshall girls moved to the 10 a.m. slot to play for seventh place against the loser of the Garber vs. Chisholm game.