Hi-Plains had already proven themselves in the regular season and they didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They blew past the Kim/Branson Mustangs 44-20 on Friday. The Patriots pushed the score to 32-10 by the end of the third, a deficit the Mustangs had little chance of recovering from.
Hi-Plains' success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Maggie Gorton led the charge by putting up seven points along with five boards and three steals. What's more, Gorton posted four assists, the most she's had since back in December of 2024. Serenity Hernandez was another key player, going 5-for-11 en route to 12 points and four steals.
Hi-Plains was working as a unit and finished the game with 14 assists. They are 13-1 when they've passed the ball that well.
Despite the loss, Kim/Branson had strong showings from Kennedy Cranson, who earned nine points and six steals, and Sorrel Mosimann, who had four points and five rebounds. Cranson has been hot for a while, having posted two or more steals the last 18 times she's played.
Hi-Plains has been performing well recently as they've won eight of their last ten matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 16-8 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 27.1 points on average over those games. This is the second loss in a row for Kim/Branson and nudges their season record down to 12-9.
Hi-Plains wasted no time getting back out on the court and has already played their next game, a 40-32 victory against De Beque on the 8th. Kim/Branson does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
