HUTCHINSON — Participating in the four-team BSN Tip-Off Classic hosted by Hutchinson Community College, the Cloud County Community College women’s basketball team picked up its first two wins of the season.
In the first game of the trip, the T-Birds defeated Neosho County CC 97-71.
The first five minutes of the game saw a close bout as both teams were finding out their offense. Cloud led 9-8 with 5:17 remaining in the first quarter, before an 8-0 run gave them a 17-8 lead. Neosho chipped away and got the lead down to two with 1:13 remaining, with Cloud ending the first quarter up 21-17.
The second quarter saw the same fight from both teams. After a Neosho jumper to knock the lead down to two, Cloud went on a 6-0 run that was neutralized with a 12-3 run and took the lead, 31-30, with 2:42 remaining in the half. The T-Birds went on a quick 10-0 run to retake the lead and end the half up 40-31.
After an 11-5 Neosho run to start the third quarter, the T-Birds finally were able to re-establish themselves, going on a 13-4 run to get their lead back to double digits with 3:19 remaining. Cloud ended the third quarter leading 70-53.
The T-Birds owned the fourth quarter. After an opening three-pointer by Amanda Makela pushed the lead to a then-game high 20 points, the lead never went under 20, and got to as high as 29 points with 1:21 remaining. The T-Birds held Neosho to 6-18 shooting and outrebounded the Panthers 13 to 7 in the final quarter to take the 97-71 victory.
Shea Wurtz led in scoring with 22 points and steals with six, and added 10 rebounds and three assists.
Leila Washington had 20 points and a team-high 12 rebounds.
Makela had 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Sofija Todorovic had 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
In game two, the T-Birds defeated Northeastern Oklahoma A&M 95-74.
After seven combined missed shots to start the game, the Lady Norse finally broke the seal with a layup. Then Cloud scored on the next four possessions to go up 8-2. NEO went on a 13-2 run to take a four-point lead with 1:30 remaining in the first, before the two baskets by Wurtz tied the game at 15 to end the quarter.
The second quarter saw the two teams battling to take the lead from each other, with five lead changes, and five times the game was tied. The T-Birds were scoring their points at the free throw line, with the Lady Norse attempting nine more field goal attempts. Cloud entered halftime with a one-point lead, 34-33, thanks to a pair of Camiah Muldrow free throws.
Cloud was able to pull away in the third quarter, opening with a 10-2 run and taking a 10-point lead halfway through the quarter. Outside of a five-point NEO spurt that got the lead down to six, Cloud was in full control of the quarter. The T-Birds shot 11-17 for the quarter and made 11-11 free throws to enter the fourth quarter up 69-54.
The lead expanded to 20 on a Jelena Jankovic three-pointer, but NEO would get the lead down to 12 with a 10-2 run before Cloud put the game back out of reach and would hold on for the 95-74 win.
Muldrow led in scoring with 38 points and added five rebounds and three assists.
Sofija Todorovic had 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Wurtz had 15 points, a team high 11 rebounds, two steals and a block.
