Strafford Wins Ash Grove Title Behind Three 20-Point Games

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By Matt Turer – mturer@ky3.com
Twitter: @MattTurer

Ash Grove, Mo. — Strafford’s downtown prowess was on full display Saturday night in the Ash Grove Lady Pirate Classic tournament championship. The Indians sunk eight threes in the second and third quarters, helping push a five-point lead to 38 and cruising to the tournament title over Walnut Grove, 77-37.

With both Class 3 Strafford (4-0) and Class 1 Ash Grove (2-1) ranked No. 1 in the state in their respective classes, this was a highly anticipated matchup, but Strafford’s offensive depth proved too much.

CLICK FOR STRAFFORD VS. WALNUT GROVE PHOTOS

Hayley Frank, Kayley Frank and Abby Oliver all reached the 20-point mark for Strafford, finishing with 22, 21 and 21, respectively. Oliver scored all of her points in the second and third quarters, hitting three consecutive threes in the second to spark Strafford after the Indians led just 11-10 late in the first quarter.

“It makes it hard on other teams when you can’t key on just [Hayley Frank and Oliver], because we’ve got four or five other kids who can step up and get double figures on you every night,” Strafford head coach Steve Frank said. “It causes a real nightmare as far as matching up to us.”

Oliver has hit at least five threes in all of Strafford’s games this season, including a 10-11 effort from downtown in their season-opening win over Lebanon. Coming into tonight’s game, she was shooting 66 percent from deep, and Hayley Frank was shooting 68 percent. What does Oliver attribute that to? Practice.

“I try to get at least 200 or 300 shots in every morning,” she said. “Hayley Frank has me beat there, though.”

But while the two can beat each other, it’s beginning to prove difficult to see what program can beat Strafford as a whole.

“We’re a lot younger [that last year’s championship team], but I think we’re going to be a lot better,” Oliver said. “The young girls coming in are comfortable with us and aren’t afraid to score. We’re all really goofy and we all get along really well.”

Strafford led 38-17 at the half after going on a 23-2 run to end the second quarter.

“It’s a good unit,” Frank said. “[Having unity on the team is] the whole key in girl’s basketball. Those kids do everything together, and that’s the whole key. They gel and they don’t care who gets the publicity or who’s doing what. All they care about is how well we play.”

Bayley Harmon and Raylie Hejna led Walnut Grove with 16 and 10 points and were two of just four Walnut Grove players to get on the scoresheet.

“Last year, Logan [Eden] just got after it on defense for us,” Hayley Frank said. “We’re still trying to fill that role, but I feel like every game we just keep getting better and better. Our freshmen are getting there and we’re really happy with them. It’s just going to keep getting better down the road.”

Strafford 77, Walnut Grove 37
Walnut Grove 10 7 14 6 – 37
Strafford 15 23 31 8 – 77

Strafford – Hayley Frank 22, Kayley Frank 21, Abby Oliver 21, Zoey Mullings 6, Logan Jones 3, Mica Chadwell 2, Kyndall Compton 2
Walnut Grove – Bayley Harmon 16, Raylie Hejna 10, Grace McPhail 7, Grace Miller 4

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