While Hillcrest's fortunes typically follow all-state guard Kaycee Gerald, it was another senior Hornet providing the early fireworks Thursday night.
Jordan Pryor got Hillcrest off to a quick start, scoring all 10 of her points in the first quarter of a 49-39 road win over Glendale.
With Gerald on the bench for much of the first half in foul trouble, Pryor was able to give the Hornets a big lift and stabilize the offense after Gerald headed to the bench with her second foul midway through the period.
Regulated to cheerleading duty from the bench, Gerald was thrilled to see her teammates step up in her absense.
"I was really happy for [Pryor]," Gerald said. "Lately, I feel like she hasn't had enough confidence, and she was just on fire tonight, and I was just trying to cheer her on and keep her shooting, because she was, like, our crutch in the beginning."
Hillcrest head coach Jeni Hopkins praised her team's resilient nature with Gerald out of the game.
"You're never comfortable when she's on the bench, because she's your main ball-handler," Hopkins said of Gerald. "But at the same time, I'm very proud of the younger kids that came in and stepped up and handled the ball."
Tied at 12 after one, Gerald returned to the game and led the Hornets on a torrid 16-3 run to start the second, including an 8-0 run of her own.
Unfortunately for Hillcrest, she picked up foul number three midway through the second. Despite the all-stater watching the game from the bench, Glendale failed to capitalize on the opportunity. The Falcons missed multiple looks both inside the paint and at the free throw line throughout the first half.
To make matters worse for the host team, Hillcrest held the Falcons to just a single basket in the second quarter and took a 30-18 lead into the break.
Hillcrest's defensive success was partially attributed to Hopkins constantly changing up her looks. The Hornets threw a steady dose of zone, man and the occasional press at a short-handed Falcon squad playing without starters Teaira Clancy and Mariah Starks.
"We played four different defenses tonight, so changing up our defenses was a key," Hopkins said. "Once they started exposing some of our weaknesses there, we'd switch defenses and see if we couldn't get them out of rhythm a little bit. They move the ball very well, so they're going to get shots off. We couldn't wait for them to catch it, we had to move with it."
In the second half, Gerald adjusted her game and was able to stay on the court, playing foul-free for the entire half. Typical aggressive drives to the basket finished, instead, with short jumpers.
"I just try to stay straight-up, like always, and try not to lean into them as much to where they got a block or a charge or anything," Gerald said. "So, I've adjusted that and pull up when I'm driving in."
Glendale trailed by as many as 16 in the third quarter, before the Falcon's interior game finally started to respond on both ends of the court.
The front-line trio of Gabby Mathews, Kaitlyn Baird and Keaira Clancy established itself midway through the third and slowly began chipping away at the Hillcrest lead.
Mathews and Baird each finished with 9 points to lead the Falcons, while Clancy chipped in 6.
Mathews and Baird also provided some defensive fireworks.
Early in the fourth period, the two combined for three big blocks that turned into Glendale points and helped cut the lead to 45-39 with 2:42 left in the game.
Unfortunately for Glendale, Gerald's quickness and ball-handling turned into a one-girl stall machine down the stretch. Despite open looks at the basket, the Falcons would not score the rest of the game.
With Starks and Clancy unavailable due to injuries suffered in the previous matchup with Branson, Glendale coach Renee Temple was pleased with her team's effort.
"One thing we wanted to do against their zone defense was just attack that middle," Temple said. "I felt like there was a gap there in the middle of that zone, and we looked for it and then our post players stepped up that second half."
While the Falcons mounted a furious comeback, the ice-cold first half scoring and foul count left the hole a bit too deep in the second.
"I felt like we came in a little bit tight with our shots," Temple said. "We wanted to get to the free throw line a lot more than we did. We put them on the line too many times, and that was a big difference in the game."
Both teams are back in action Monday, Jan. 11. Glendale (6-6) hosts Lebanon, while Hillcrest (7-6) travels to the south side of town to play Kickapoo.
Hillcrest – 49, Glendale – 39
Hillcrest 12 18 11 8 — 49
Glendale 12 6 10 11 — 39
Hillcrest Scoring: Kaycee Gerald – 19, Jordan Pryor – 10, Mikhala McCullough – 6, Laurnea Jarman – 5, Sarah Hale – 4, Jasmyn Johnson – 4, Reagan Jamison – 1
Glendale Scoring: Gabby Mathews – 9, Kaitlyn Baird – 9, Hannah Pinkston – 6, Keaira Clancy – 6, Anna Fredrick – 3, Morgan Zimmerman – 3, Allie Haden – 3
JV Score: Hillcrest – 44, Glendale – 26
