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Gilbert shoots down Williams Field with
the long ball
January 17, 2025 by Ben Stapley, AZPreps365
After a near complete makeover from last season,
it appears that Gilbert is still the team to beat in the 6A Fiesta region.
The Tigers overcame a sluggish start before a dominant second half
culminated in a 54-33 victory Friday night at Williams Field. Four
different players hit 3-pointers for Gilbert (11-6), while the defense
held Williams Field (15-3) to 15 second half points.
Junior Aspen McClees scored eight of her game high 15 points in the
fourth quarter to help put the game away. Her lone 3-point basket near the
end of the third quarter gave the Tigers a 10 point lead heading into the
fourth.
"We kind of got a off to a slow start and the first half was sluggish,"
first year coach Savannah Bix said afterward. "(Williams Field) had a good
game plan to take Aspen out of it, which worked early. But it was a better
second half and we shot the ball well. We got contributions from a lot of
people tonight."
Freshman Contessa Ivy (13 points) kept Gilbert ahead in the first half
with three 3-point field goals. Seniors Khalia Dana (13 points) and Emma
Carrasco (9 points) also connected from beyond the arch three times.
Willilams Field only lead came briefly at the start of the second quarter
when Sophia Carnes knocked down a 3-pointer for an 11-10 lead. But Ivy
responded with a 3-point field goal of her own, and Gilbert eventually
took a 23-18 halftime lead. Carnes opened the third with another 3-point
shot to get the Blackhawks within two points (23-21) but the Tigers went
on a 7-0 run and eventually took a 10 point lead into the fourth quarter.
"We knew Gilbert could shoot the three and they're dangerous when they get
streaky," Williams Field coach Brandon Montoya said. We felt we had a good
game plan going in and it worked for a while."
Dana and Carrasco opened up the fourth quarter with back to back 3-point
field goals before McClees began working the ball down low. Williams Field
was held to five points in the fourth quarter.
McClees, a junior, is Gilbert's most experienced player and leading
scorer, but other pieces are taking shape.
"We lost some kids to transfer and gained some as well, but Aspen has been
an anchor," said Bix, who added that Ivy's older sister Isabella will
become eligible next week after transferring from Perry.
Addison Ramirez and Corrine Jones led Williams Field with eight points
each.
Aspen Mcclees Leads Gilbert to Victory
over Chaparral
By Team Reports
Dec 6, 2024
If Chaparral wanted to avenge their loss from the last time they played
Gilbert, they should've done a better job of containing Aspen McClees. The
Gilbert Tigers put the hurt on the Chaparral Firebirds with a sharp 55-35
victory on Tuesday thanks in part to McClees, who went 10 for 17 en route
to 24 points plus eight rebounds and seven steals. Her afternoon made it
four games in a row in which she has scored at least ten points.
The team also got some help courtesy of Contessa Ivy, who had seven points
along with four steals. Ivy is crushing it when it comes to steals: she's
grabbed at least two every time she's taken the court this season.
Gilbert smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18
offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive rebounds they've posted
since back in November of 2023.
Several Firebirds players turned in solid performances despite ultimately
coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Margaret
Connell, who earned 11 points in addition to two steals.
The win made it two in a row for Gilbert and bumps their season record up
to 3-1. As for Chaparral, they now have a losing record at 1-2.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on
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