Lady Rockets take 3rd in Florida

Crittenden needed a solid team effort to keep Quaker Valley's 6-4 star
in check. Here, Elliot Evans, Andrea Federico, Anna Boone and Jordyn
Hodge all collapse toward Mimi Thiero at the high post.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Seniors Bristyn Rushing and Anna Boone supplied the inside-out punch with points, and senior defender Andrea Federico supplied the resistance as Crittenden County closed the KSA Holiday Tournament with a 59-51 win Wednesday over Quaker Valley, Pa., earning a 2-1 finish and third place against a field that demanded toughness at both ends of the floor.

The Lady Rockets improved to 9-3, finishing the week with two wins in three days in Orlando, while Quaker Valley slipped to 5-5 overall.

Boone carried the offensive load with 26 points and was later named Crittenden’s Tournament Most Valuable Player by KSA organizers. She was at her best late, scoring seven of Crittenden’s final points and calmly converting five free throws as the Lady Rockets used ball movement and clock management to protect the lead down the final stretch.

Senior Bristyn Rushing scored 16 points.

Rushing turned in one of her strongest performances, scoring a season-high 16 points. Her effort included multiple dives for loose balls, one of which resulted in a forearm cut that required brief stoppages for cleanup, but did little to slow her aggressiveness.

Federico anchored the defensive game plan against Quaker Valley star Mimi Thiero, a 6-foot-4 Division I commit and four-star prospect. Thiero showed her range and versatility early, handling the ball on the perimeter and knocking down three 3-pointers, but Federico’s physical defense limited her touches near the basket and forced difficult looks. Thiero had just one field goal in the fourth quarter, scoring the rest of her points at the free-throw line as Quaker Valley tried to stay within striking distance. 

Thiero has committed to Maryland. She's the younger sister of Los Angeles Lakers rookie Adou Thiero, who once played for the University of Kentucky.

Crittenden controlled much of the opening quarter, leading 17-11, and carried a slim 29-28 advantage into halftime. The Lady Rockets created breathing room in the third period, pushing the margin to 45-39 behind interior scoring from Rushing and timely baskets from Boone.

Quaker Valley trimmed the deficit to four midway through the fourth, but Boone answered with a left-handed scoop and an and-one finish to restore momentum. From there, Crittenden was patient, draining almost two minutes off the clock on one late possession and forcing the Quakers to foul.

Jordyn Hodge added 10 points while Elliot Evans scored seven. 

“I really wanted us to be in a bracket with teams that would be challenging to us,” coach Shannon Hodge said of her team’s play in Florida. “And each one of them was.”

With little time to scout opponents and minimal opportunity to prepare over the three-day series in the Sunshine State, Hodge said she was proud of her team’s performance but admitted some disappointment with the 2-1 finish after a two-point loss in the semifinal round.

“I am a little disappointed that we didn't win our game yesterday, but I'm very happy today because we won pretty big against a pretty good team. I am happy about that and our ability to make some adjustments without having any practice time.”

Crittenden returns home Saturday to face Mayfield at Rocket Arena before shifting its focus to the All A Classic next week. The Lady Rockets have won a region-record 10 All A titles since 1998, including the last three in a row and four of the past five, making the post-holiday stretch another measuring point as the calendar turns into January.

Crittenden County 17 29 45 59
Quaker Valley, Pa. 11 28 39 51
CRITTENDEN – Boone 26, Evans 7, Hodge 10, Federico, Rushing 16, Stewart. FG 20. 3-pointers 5 (Boone 3, Evans, Rushing). FT 12-14.
QUAKER VALLEY – Thiero 30, Watson 12, Cline 4, Campbell 3, Floro 2. FG 18. 3-pointers 4. FT 9-11.