DIVISION IV GIRLS: Owyhee slows down Knights’ Hanks, advances to play McDermitt in final

SPARKS — Few girls basketball teams have been able to match up with Round Mountain sophomore Alyssa Hanks in the paint the last two seasons.

The Owyhee Braves more than stacked up Friday.

Hanks was limited to 6-for-18 shooting from the field and the Knights shot 25.5 percent as a team en route to a 70-35 loss to Owyhee in a Division IV state semifinal at Reed High.

Owyhee (16-7) will meet McDermitt (26-2) in an all-north state final at 2:40 p.m. Saturday at Lawlor Events Center.

"Their bigs just took her away," Round Mountain coach Jake Topholm said. "(Owyhee center Kaira Egan) is tough. We usually try to get Alyssa going, and then Hannah (Swafford) and other girls get open on the outside. They just disrupted us."

Hanks finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots for the Knights (18-6). But it didn't come without frustration.

Hanks was the sole focus of the Braves' defense from the tip, as she was double- and triple-teamed every time she touched the ball at the high post. The 5-foot-11-inch standout never found the rhythm that made her the co-Most Valuable Player in the Division IV Southern League last season.

"They were getting on her in the first half," Topholm said. "In the second, they started calling some of the (fouls). But she was frustrated. She wasn't hitting from the free-throw line. …

"Their size hurt us. They're a big team. They're a good team and we had a tough time matching up."

Hanks shot 4-for-11 from the line, and sat with 3 minutes left in the fourth quarter and the score 65-32.

Egan scored 12 of her 21 points in the second half for Owyhee. She also had 14 rebounds and three assists for the Braves, who outrebounded Round Mountain 36-27.

The Braves took a 21-4 lead after the first quarter, and led 33-13 at halftime.

"It was just missing shots," said Topholm, whose team made six field goals in the opening half. "I don't think we've scored four points in a quarter all year. We had a great year. We won the region down in the south, and we'll be back next year. Just came up a little short."

Swafford had eight points for Round Mountain, and teammate Lateasha Marcure added seven boards.

Cree-Lynn Raining Bird had 14 points, and Kaylani Smartt scored 12 for Owyhee.

McDermitt 62, Pahranagat Valley 48 — Karley Whipple scored 21 points in the Panthers' loss to the Bulldogs in the other semifinal.

Madalyn Taylor added nine points for Pahranagat Valley (15-10), which trailed 31-18 at halftime and 46-31 after three quarters.

Kristan Long led McDermitt with 13 points. Lydia Northrup, Va Draunidalo and Andrea Smart scored 10 points for the Bulldogs.