Hampton and Apollo-Ridge were two of the first girls basketball teams to open the winter sports season as the Talbots and Vikings met in a Friday afternoon contest at the Leechburg Tournament.
A pair of early 3-pointers had Apollo-Ridge feeling good, but the Vikings went cold after that.
Hampton, a WPIAL Class 4A playoff qualifier last year, closed out the first half on a 27-0 run en route to a 52-17 victory.
Turnovers stalled Apollo-Ridge’s momentum numerous times as the first half progressed, leading to Hampton baskets in transition and in the half court.
The Vikings went 2 for 6 from 3-point range in the first quarter. Junior Arianna Hugley and senior Lauren Gamble hit shots from beyond the arc.
“We weren’t analyzing their zone well enough, and they were sitting in the gaps while we were trying to force passes,” Apollo-Ridge coach Raevan Mottley said. “Kudos to Hampton for anticipating well. We have to be better at thinking passes to making passes.”
Being the first game for both teams, substitutions were plentiful as coaches got a chance to see what combinations worked well.
Hampton’s lone senior, Maria Nyilas, scored six points in the first and added five in the second to enter double figures by halftime. She finished with those 11 points.
Junior Harper Gibbons erupted for eight second-quarter points and had 10 at the break before finishing with a game-best 12.
Junior Katie Christy added eight points in the win.
Apollo-Ridge came out quickly after halftime. Sophomore Madison Hugley converted a jumper that got the Vikings faithful energized.
But the Talbots’ quick-strike offense countered with a quartet of 2-point field goals to extend their already-commanding advantage by the end of the third quarter.
Madison Hugley and sophomores Mikaila Ditty and Sophia Gerardi got on the scoreboard for the Vikings in the fourth. Ditty converted a layup and a putback, Hugley recorded a jumper for two points, and Gerardi hit 3 of 4 from the foul line.
“We came out with a little more intensity in the second half and got after it a little bit more,” Mottley said. “I liked to see that.”
Arianna Hugley finished the game with six rebounds and two blocks for Apollo-Ridge, which will continue tournament play Saturday against the loser of Friday’s game between Leechburg and Perry in the consolation game at 1:30 p.m.
“It should be a fun one (Saturday),” Mottley said. “Hopefully, we can carry over and build on that second-half momentum.”
The Vikings also will host St. Joseph on Monday.
Hampton will face the Leechburg-Perry winner in Saturday’s title game at 5 p.m.