Stallions open tournament with rout

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune

Madera South point guard Brianna Lorta drives by a Fresno Christian defender to score two of her game-high 18 points in a 50-30 Wednesday victory over the Eagles on the first day of the Madera South Girls Basketball Tournament.

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The Madera South Stallions girls basketball team got a battle from the Fresno Christian Eagles, but used a 20-2 third quarter to cruise to a 50-30 victory.

Brianna Lorta led the Stallions with 18 points while Jocelyn Barrera added 14 points. Alannah Ward scored nine points, but just three other players scored.

The Stallions also forced 39 turnovers from the Eagles. Lorta led the team with nine steals. Barrera filled the stat sheet with 16 rebounds, nine on the offensive glass, and seven steals.

Mayra Ceballos also had four points to go with nine rebounds and two blocks.

The Stallions kept shooting from 3-point range in the first half, but couldn’t hit much. They went 3-of-22 from beyond the arc in the first half. They cut down their 3-point shooting in the second half and scored the same amount of points.

Madera South took the early lead with a Ceballos free throw and a 3-pointer and bank shot from Lorta.

After Fresno Christian cut the lead to one, Ward made a lay-up, Lorta found Barrera for a lay-up and Lorta completed a 3-point play for a 13-5 lead.

The Eagles cut the Stallions’ lead to one in the second half. However, Lorta hit two 3-pointers and Barrera made a lay-up to get the lead to nine. The Eagles hit a jumper at the end of the half for a 25-18 Madera South lead.

Madera South took control of the game in the second half by scoring the first 15 points. Off a steal by Lorta, Jalisa Kirkpatrick found Barrera for a layup. Marlene Vasquez put back a miss for a bucket.

Vasquez found Lorta for a layup. After a Ceballos free throw, Barrera hit a pair of jumpers. Ceballos and Ward made short jumpers for a 40-18 lead.

Ward made a lay-up and Ariel Reiux hit a 3-pointer for a 45-20 lead at the end of the quarter.

Ward hit a 3-pointer and Barrera hit a jumper in the fourth for a 50-30 victory.