Stallions close out with two losses
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune Madera South’s Arelis Chavez looks to pass the ball out of the key during a loss to the McFarland Cougars on Friday during the Madera Shootout.
The Madera South Stallions opened the Madera Shootout with wins over Coalinga and Firebaugh, but closed the tournament with losses to McFarland and Hanford.
In the two losses, the Stallions scored 78 points while allowing 126.
After Madera South opened the tournament with an overtime victory over Coalinga, the Stallions dominated the Firebaugh Eagles on Thursday.
The Stallions opened with a 35-19 halftime lead and cruised to the victory after outscoring the Eagles 11-4 in the fourth quarter.
Aleecia Rosel led four players who scored more than seven points with 16 points. Arelis Chavez scored nine points with 10 rebounds. Lexi Eller added eight points and eight rebounds while Kierra Smith hit three 3-pointers for nine points.
The Eagles took the early lead against the Stallions, leading 5-2. Rosel started an 18-0 run to give the Stallions early control of the game.
Rosel made two free throws and Eller added a 3-pointer and a free throw. She also put back a missed shot after a steal from Briseida Vasquez.
Rosel hit a 3-pointer and Eller went coast-to-coast with a rebound and layup. Jonese Feliu made a layup and Smith hit a 3-pointer for a 20-5 lead with less than a minute left in the first quarter. Firebaugh closed the quarter with a 3-pointer.
The Stallions went on a 7-0 run to close the first half with a 35-19 lead. Vasquez scored off an assist from Jackie Cortez. Rosel converted a 3-point play and Chavez scored down low.
Rosel found Shayla Lopez for a layup and Chavez put back her own miss to extend the run to 11-0 into the second half.
Rosel made back-to-back runners and put back her own miss for a six-point run to open the lead to 55-35. Chavez made a free throw and Taylor Rogers scored on a layup to close out the scoring for a 58-35 victory.
The story was the opposite Friday against Mendota. While the Stallions took a slim 27-24 lead into the half, Mendota outscored Madera South 40-18 in the second half for a 64-45 victory.
Smith led the Stallions with 14 points. Rosel and Eller each scored 11 points, but the trio accounted for 80 percent of Madera South’s points.
McFarland opened the game with an 8-3 lead. Madera South closed the quarter by scoring 14 of the next 17 points for a 17-11 lead.
Eller started the run with a 3-pointer. Smith followed with three 3-pointers and Chavez scored on a layup for the six-point lead.
McFarland took the lead after an 11-1 run for a 22-18 lead. The Stallions got a 3-pointer from Lei’Nya Bartlow and two 3-pointers from Rosel to open a 27-24 lead at the half.
The Cougars went on a 9-0 run to take the lead from the Stallions. Despite a Rosel putback and a Smith 3-pointer, McFarland outscored the Stallions 18-11 in the quarter for a six point lead heading into the fourth after back-to-back 3-pointers.
McFarland extended its run to 12-0 with five points to open the fourth quarter.
The Stallions battled with the Hanford Bullpups in the first quarter, trailing 15-11.
The Bullpups outscored the Stallions 32-10 in the second and third quarters for a 62-33 victory in their final game of the Madera Shootout.
Rosel led Madera South with nine points Saturday and Smith added seven.
