After loss, Stallions roll to victories
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Madera South’s Aleecia Rosel goes up for one of her many layups in a victory over Mendota on Tuesday. She scored a game-high 25 points, 22 in the second half, in the victory.
After a tournament-opening loss to the Kerman Lions, the Madera South Stallions girls basketball team righted the ship with three convincing victories to close out the Madera Shootout at Madera High School.
The Stallions defeated Mendota, Liberty and a junior varsity team by an average score of 70-26 last week, including a 68-22 victory over Mendota.
Madera South got scoring from throughout its lineup over the three wins. All 10 players scored in a win over the junior varsity team, nine scored in the win over Liberty and eight scored against Mendota.
The Stallions will have about a week off before playing in the Immanuel Tournament on Jan. 4, beginning at 7 p.m.
In the win over Mendota on Tuesday, Aleecia Rosel led the team with 25 points, all but three coming in the second half. She also helped a 28-point third quarter with 15 points.
Although no other Stallions player scored in double-figures, four scored seven or more points.
Simone Baker scored nine points with five rebounds and four steals. Ajanae Kinley also scored nine points to go with six rebounds and four blocks. Tresuri Thomas scored eight with six rebounds and Moosey Warren scored seven with five offensive rebounds.
The Stallions got off to an early 5-0 lead and then jumped out to a 13-2 lead. Baker got the scoring started, turning a steal into a layup. After a free throw by Kinley, Lanaye Brewer put back a missed shots for one of her five offensive rebounds. She also had a team-high nine rebounds to go with a team-high five steals.
After a Mendota bucket, Thomas started an 8-0 run with a layup. Warren made two free throws and scored on an up-and-under move. Then, Baker put back a miss for an 11-point lead.
Mendota made a layup and a free throw before Warren made a free throw for a 14-5 first quarter lead.
The Aztecs started off the second quarter taking advantage of six Madera South turnovers for six straight points to cut the Stallions’ lead to three.
Madera South then went on a 15-1 run that lasted into the second half.
Warren started the run with a steal and fed Lexi Eller for a layup. Then, Kinley hit a short jumper for an 18-11 lead.
After a Mendota free throw, Rosel made a free throw, Baker hit a 3-pointer and Brewer made a free throw for a quick run.
About a minute later, Kinley pulled down a rebound and led the break for a Brewer bucket. Rosel closed the first half scoring with a five-foot runner for a 27-12 lead at the half.
Baker opened the second half scoring with a steal and an assist on Eller’s layup for a 17-point lead.
After a Mendota bucket, the Stallions went on an 18-3 run to put the game away. Rosel started the run with a layup after a Kinley blocked shot and rebound. Rosel then hit a long jumper and Baker put back her own miss.
After a Lei’nya Bartlow steal, Rosel scored on a layup. Mendota hit a long jumper, but Brewer made a free throw and Madera South kept possession, ending with a Bartlow offensive put back.
Kinley made a short jumper and Rosel scored on a layup after a Kinley rebound before a Mendota free throw.
Rosel then drained a 3-pointer for a 47-17 lead before Mendota made a free throw. Rosel then returned the favor, finding Thomas for a layup. She then stole the inbounds pass and fed to Warren for another layup.
Kinley pulled down back-to-back defensive rebounds and found Rosel breaking to the hoop for back-to-back layups for a 55-18 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Rosel opened the fourth quarter scoring with a 12-foot jumper, a 3-pointer and a layup to invoke the 40-point running clock.
The Stallions kept up the pressure and Thomas hit a short jumper and Kinley turned a steal into a layup for a 19-0 run.
The Aztecs made two free throws and a layup before Thomas ended the scoring with a layup off an Eller assist for the 68-22 final score.
