The Shadow
LOW MOOR – A fast start parlayed into a championship for the Alleghany No. 2 team Sunday at Clifton Middle School.
All-tournament teammates Dakota Botkins and Katie Boggs combined for 14 points and 20 rebounds to lift No. 2 past Alleghany No. 3, 22-13, in the title game of the Alleghany Highlands Girls Youth Basketball All-Star Tournament, hosted by the Alleghany County Parks & Recreation Department.
The champions jumped to a 10-2 lead after a quarter and held off a spirited comeback by No. 3.
Courtney Gillespie’s jumper in the lane cut the lead to 10-9 early in the third quarter, but Alleghany No. 2 outscored their opponents 12-4 over the game’s final 11 minutes.
Botkins scored eight points and grabbed nine rebounds for the winners, while Boggs added six points and 11 boards.
Gillespie paced the runners-up with six points and eight rebounds.
Sunday’s consolation game saw Alleghany No. 1 trip Bath County, 44-19.
No. 1 led 22-5 at the break.
All 10 players scored for the tournament’s third-place team, led by eight from Katie Rickett and six apiece from Savannah Beard, Mauri Deeds and Kiesha Forbes.
Brandi Plott paced the Bath County scoring attack with eight points.
The semifinals of the annual tournament were played Saturday with No. 2 besting No. 1, 25-18, and No. 3 topping Bath, 30-11.
Following Sunday’s championship round, Alleghany County Parks & Recreation Director Chad Williams presented individual trophies to both the champions and runners-up.
The five-player all tournament team included:
• Dakota Botkins, Alleghany No. 2 (Tournament totals: 17 points, 21 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block)
• Katie Boggs, Alleghany No. 2 (12 points, 19 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, 2 blocks)
• Courtney Gillespie, Alleghany No. 3 (14 points, 17 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 1 block)
• Savannah Beard, Alleghany No. 1 (13 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 9 steals)
• Brandi Plott, Bath County (13 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals)
Over 420 fans attended the two-day event.
“I would like to give a special thanks to Shannon Daly and Clifton Middle School for the use of their facilities,” said Dale Burdette, recreation coordinator for Alleghany County.
“I’d also like to thank Greg Entsminger for volunteering his time all weekend as the public address announcer and to everyone who helped out. It takes a lot of special people working together to pull off a great event.”
