The Lowry High School girls basketball was able to enjoy Christmas for a short time, getting back on the floor in Reno for three days at the Varsity Elite Tournament at McQueen High School.
Lowry played twice on Thursday, Dec. 26, beating Loyalton, Calif. 45-29 and losing 65-53 to host McQueen. In addition, Lowry did not have its head coach, as Melanie Thurmond had her baby in Reno as the tournament was being played.
In the win over Loyalton, the Lady Bucks held the Grizzlies to just three field goals and eight points in the first half to lead 24-8 at the break. Hannah Whitted scored seven of her 10 points in the first half and Sierra Maestrejuan knocked down two 3-pointers in the first half.
Loyalton nearly doubled its first half total with 13 points in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 30-21. Lowry made just one field goal in the third quarter, a 3-pointer by Emily Backus.
The Lady Bucks regrouped in the fourth quarter and closed the contest on a 15-6 run behind five points from Backus and four more by Jovi Kuskie. The Grizzlies made only two field goals in the final eight minutes and had 10 for the game.
Maestrejuan and Whitted each scored 10 points for the Lady Bucks and Kuskie added nine. Backus netted eight points, Macy DeLong four and Amanda Draper and Emika Viscarra each had two points.
In the second game on Thursday, Dec. 26, Lowry took on McQueen in a physical game with a combined 65 free throws.
The Lady Bucks where whistled for 22 fouls and saw Kuskie foul out. The Lancers had three girls foul out as well.
Whitted, Backus and Viscarra combined for all of Lowry’s 14 points in the first quarter but the Lady Bucks still trailed 17-14 after eight minutes of play. Lowry held McQueen to two field goals in the second quarter and were 5-of-7 from the free throw line to trail 26-25 at halftime.
The Lancers caught fire from the field in the third quarter to outscore Lowry 23-15 to secure the win.
Backus had a team-high 17 points and Maestrejuan added 12. All 12 points from Maestrejuan were from the free throw line, where she was 12-of-15. Whitted contributed nine points, Kuskie eight, Viscarra four, DeLong two and Carly Capellen one.
On Friday, Dec. 27, Lowry could not overcome a slow start to Piedmont, Calif., in a 70-53 loss. The Highlanders opened the game on a 19-5 run in the first quarter, where the Lady Bucks were held to field goals by Whitted and Maestrejuan.
Lowry regrouped in the second quarter, as Kuskie scored nine of the Lady Bucks’ 13 points in the period to trail 30-18 at halftime. Kuskie continued to be hot from the field with 13 more points in the second half off of three 3-pointers. However, Lowry couldn’t cut into the lead as Piedmont led 53-34 going into the fourth quarter.
Kuskie had career-high 22 points for the Lady Bucks, while Maestrejuan added eight points and Whitted six. Backus and DeLong had five points apiece, Viscarra four and Shanae Smith three.
In the tournament finale on Saturday, Dec. 28, Lowry let a six-point lead in the fourth quarter against Reno get away in a 56-50 loss to the Huskies.
Lowry picked up three-pointers from Kuskie and Capellen in the first quarter, but Lowry still trailed 15-10. The Lady Bucks picked up eight points from Maestrejuan and seven more from Kuskie to tie the game at 29 at halftime.
Backus caught fire from the field with seven points in the third quarter and Maestrejuan added four more, as Lowry doubled up Reno 12-6 to lead 41-35.
Lowry found itself in foul trouble in the fourth quarter, as Reno went 9-of-11 from the free throw line to complete the comeback with a 21-9 run in the final eight minutes. The Huskies also made two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Backus (15), Kuskie (14) and Maestrejuan (12) were all in double figures for Lowry. Capellen added six points, Draper two and Whitted one.
Lowry (5-6 overall, 3-1 Northern 3A) hosts Elko on Friday at 6 p.m. and Spring Creek on Saturday at 1 p.m. Both Spring Creek and Elko are 3-1 in the Northern 3A and tied for second in the league with the Lady Bucks. Fernley leads the Northern 3A at 5-0.
Lowry travels to South Tahoe on Friday, Jan. 10, and Dayton on Saturday, Jan. 11.
