Spa City girls split games in Tip-Off tourney

It’s game on in Hot Springs, and coach Richard Jackson and his young Savage Heat girls are obviously ready for some basketball.

“It’s here, and we are off and running,” Jackson said of the hoop season after his girls split games in the Tip-Off Tournament in Frenchtown Friday and Saturday, “and we are looking forward to it. The attitudes are great and the girls are having fun, it should be a good season.”

The Heat girls opened the season with a 56-34 win over Lincoln Friday and then fell 44-41 to Seeley-Swan Saturday in Frenchtown. Now 1-1 in non-conference action, the Heat do not play again until Dec. 14 when they visit the Two Eagle River Eagles in Pablo to open the 14C conference schedule.

Hot Springs jumped out to a 19-8 lead after one quarter against Lincoln and finished the game off with a 15-2 win of the fourth quarter.

McKennzie Cannon and Sydney Jackson counted 14 points each to lead the Heat, Sage Jackson added 13, Brianna Gray seven, Lizzy Fisher four, Stacy Gray two and Danielle Cannon two.

McKennzie Cannon cleared 10 rebounds and Brianna Gray and Sydney Jackson seven each, besides grabbing four seals apiece, and Stacy Gray dished out six assists.

Jerilyn Dietz led Lincoln with eight points and Karissa Ninahuanca and Tanea Reisch six apiece.

The Heat had the lead on Seeley in the fourth quarter before the Blackhawks came back to win in Saturday’s game.

Sage Jackson scored 13 points (including three 3-pointers) to lead Hot Springs in that game, McKennzie Cannon scored 11 points and corralled nine rebounds, Sydney Jackson added eight points, Fisher four, Danielle Cannon three and Brianna Gray two.

Stacy Gray and Sydney Jackson had two steals apiece and Sydney added another seven rebounds.

Klair Kovatich and Ashley Miller scored 10 points each for Seeley, Terra Bertsch added nine and Chloe Robbins seven.