By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
The Bishop LeBlond girls' basketball team overcame a somewhat sluggish start on offense and knocked down eight total three-pointers on their way to a 50-32 win over Savannah in the LeBlond Holiday Tournament championship game on Thursday night.
Leading 10-4 at the end of the first, LeBlond (10-0) made three triples in the second quarter alone, led 21-6 at one point and settled for a 25-13 advantage at halftime.
The LeBlond barrage continued in the third quarter, as the Golden Eagles made four more threes and led 43-26 entering the fourth.
Senior Shae Lewis, who was named LeBlond Tournament MVP, finished Thursday's game with 16 points. She scored a combined 43 points over the three games this week, helping the Golden Eagles to win their home holiday tournament for a second straight year.
"It's just really special to be out here one last time playing in the (LeBlond) tournament," Lewis said on KFEQ Radio after. "I'm so glad we won again and it's just a great feeling."
Seniors Katie Beam, Emma Raines and Tatum Studer each scored nine points Thursday. Studer and junior Kaleigh Ziesel were also named to the LeBlond all-tournament team.
"Everyone is starting to feel comfortable in their position and their role," LeBlond coach Jackie Steltenpohl said. "Once they see the ball go through the net, they just know they always have the green light, and we don't tell them to stop shooting.
"I think, going forward, having all of those girls with that confidence and everyone coming off the bench and we can light 'em up and everyone gets eight-plus (points) per game, that's going to be hard to stop."
Conversely, LeBlond turned Savannah over 18 times Thursday.
"They're a great group of girls who can play great defense," Steltenpohl noted. "I keep telling them that defense is going to take us a long way this year more than our offense."
Freshman Ella Scott led Savannah (2-6) off the bench with nine points - all from beyond the arc. Junior Rhyan Shrick and freshman Ambi Jones each scored six points. Freshman Mylee Shrick had five. Both Schricks were named to the LeBlond all tournament team.
LeBlond now heads into the New Year with an unblemished record and a ranking that rose to No. 2 in the latest Missouri Basketball Coaches' Association polls.
The Eagles will rest for a couple of days, and then get set to host Mid-Buchanan on Tuesday, January 3. Savannah is at Cameron on January 6.
Postgame interviews
Full game broadcast
Other LeBlond tournament results
Girls
5th place - Brookfield 48 Plattsburg 41
3rd place - Nodaway Valley 46 North Andrew 41 OT
Boys
7th place - Nodaway Valley 48 Brookfield 36
5th place - Lawson 61 North Andrew 50
3rd place - Savannah 46 Bishop LeBlond 40
1st place - Plattsburg 60 St. Michael the Archangel 59 - 2 OT
- Isaia Howard had 33 points. Plattsburg is 11-0.
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