Marble Falls beats Manor

November 15, 2012, 3:00 pm by Mark Goodson

By Mark Goodson

Highlander Sports Editor

Marble Falls has shown the ability to put people away of late.

The Lady Mustangs opened the American Bank of Texas Tournament Thursday with a 77-28 win over the Manor Mustangs.

Marble Falls broke open the game midway through the first quarter and cruised to the victory, allowing all 11 of the players on the varsity basketball squad plenty of playing time.

Four Lady Mustangs hit double figures and reserves played most of the second half.

Junior Sarah Stripling led the team in scoring for the fourth time in four games with an 18-point effort. Stripling scored six points each in the first and second quarters.

Stripling, who is averaging 22 points per game, scored on a fast break off the tip to start the game and when she hit her third shot of the game the Lady Mustangs were on their way. The Mustangs led 8-4 with 5:42 left in the first quarter.

From that point they kept an up-tempo pace and plenty of pressure on the defensive end. Marble Falls pressed full court, forcing Manor turnovers.

Marble Falls had some turnovers, too.

Like all their games this season, the Lady Mustangs showed a lot of hustle.

"The kids played hard before I got here,’’ said first-year head coach Chris Jost. "We’re just trying to put in our own system and they’ve bought into it…We’ll see how we do when the competition gets tougher in the tournament.’’

Marble Falls (2-2) played New Braunfels in its second pool game on Thursday evening.

The tournament will be played in three gyms over Friday and Saturday.

Pool play was held on Thursday with 18 teams in the field.

The respective pools are:

A – Lake Travis, Leander, San Angelo Central; B – Kerrville Tivy, Plfugerville Hendrickson, Early; C – San Antonio O’Connor, Liberty Hill, Plainview; D – Marble Falls, Manor, New Braunfels; E – Floresville, Fredericksburg, Westlake; F – L.D. Bell, Vista Ridge, Warren

Against Manor, the Lady Mustangs established the tempo early and worked the ball inside off several fast breaks.

In the first quarter, every starter scored as Marble Falls built a 21-6 lead.

Point guard Blanca Fonseca had four of her seven points in the first quarter and wing Haley Stephens had a strong first quarter with four points, too.

For the game, backup center Reann Hall had 14 points. Stephens finished with 11 points and Teagan Hall had 10 points.