Spoofhound depth shines throughout win over Platte Valley
JON DYKSTRA/THE FORUM
Maryville freshman Reagan Kurz scores a second-quarter layup Friday in Conception Junction.
CONCEPTION JCT., Mo. — It’s never a good thing when a team loses its leading scorer for any length of time, but with junior Claire Walter’s ankle injury sidelining her, the Spoofhounds were able to showcase their depth in a 54-27 win at Platte Valley.
The final score of the contest was deceptive with a much tighter game throughout. Platte Valley senior Mya Wray starred early with nine first-quarter points, capped by an and-1 finish for a 12-9 lead.
“It comes with confidence,” Platte Valley coach Aaron Murphy said. “In the terms of a basketball game, girls are confident doing different things. As a scorer, she is a very confident and proven scorer. That is right in her wheelhouse. The girls did a good job of getting her open and getting her looks, and she executed.”
The Spoofhounds (3-1) answered with junior Leah Wonderly, Walter’s replacement inside, scoring. The senior duo of Brylee Acklin and Payton Kurz gave Maryville the lead at the end of the first quarter with Acklin getting a steal and hitting it ahead to Kurz for a layup.
“We had to remind then that what makes us semi-good is our defense,” Maryville coach Del Morley said. “I thought that we came out a little flat on both ends of the floor. … I told the girls that I hoped they didn’t know what a hangover was like, but we were a little hung over from last night with a lack of energy to start the game.”
In the second quarter, the run continued with freshman Reagan Kurz checking in for the first time. The freshman had six-straight points before Acklin capped the 14-0 run with a bucket.
“We were down some and Coach told us to move the ball,” Reagan Kurz said. “I got some good passes given to me which helped me a lot. I have great teammates to play on offense with me.
“It starts with defense. When our defense got up, our offense offense went up. We got a lot of fast breaks and a lot of girls had good passes. It is defense-first.”
Wray hit a pair of free throws to end the run, but Reagan Kurz responded with two free throws and another bucket to end the half with a 27-14 lead.
“She gives us a spark and that gets us going,” Morley said. “… In the three games that she has really played, she has done that every time. She has given us a little spark every time. It is so nice to have somebody like that who can give you that.”
Platte Valley started the third quarter with a Wray basket and a pair of Mylie Holtman free throws to cut the margin to nine points. Payton Kurz came right back with a 3-pointer.
Platte Valley kept the margin within 34-25 at the end of three quarters.
Maryville put the game away in emphatic fashion with a 20-0 run in the fourth quarter before Platte Valley’s Allison Riley beat the buzzer for the team’s only points of the quarter in the 54-27 win.
Reagan Kurz finished as the Spoofhounds’ leading scorer with 12 points. Jade Price and Acklin each had 10 points while Wonderly and Payton Kurz each had seven. Casey Stoll added six and Emily Yaple had two.
“I’ve really enjoyed it,” Reagan Kurz said of playing alongside the veterans. “They are all really sweet and they are good at keeping me under their wing. And they are all really good, so it is just fun to play with them.”
Platte Valley was paced by Wray with a game-high 16 points. Kenzie Redden had three while Chloe Peery, Emalee Langford, Holtman and Riley each added two.
“That is why they are on the schedule,” Murphy said of Maryville. “We are in there to get better and it is all about how you approach that game.”
Maryville will play Christ Prep in the 12 Courts of Christmas on Monday in Kansas City. Platte Valley (2-4) plays at East Atchison on Tuesday in their 275 Conference opener.
“They’d be the first ones to tell you that we aren’t there yet,” Murphy said. “We have a long way to go, but we are going to get there if they keep approaching it that way.”
