STEELVILLE – The Steelville High School girl’s basketball teams played a doubleheader of action on Dec. 3 against North County. Steelville’s JV team played a half game and was victorious 19-11 in the first matchup of the evening. Freshman Adalei Perkins matched North County’s team in scoring, and finished with 11 points. 

Steelville’s varsity team didn’t fare as well and fell 68-45 in the second half of the evening’s matchup. The game was a close back-and-forth physical game in the first half. Both teams were in the bonus with foul trouble in the first quarter and baskets had to be fought for. North County led 13-8 after the first quarter before the Lady Cardinals found their rhythm in the second quarter. Steelville took their first and only lead of the game when they went up 22-21 in the second quarter. But North County stifled any momentum and went on a 11-3 run to end the quarter and led 33-24 at halftime.

The second half belonged to North County which outscored the Lady Cardinals 20-3 in the third quarter, buoyed by three shots from behind the three-point arc. Steelville struggled with turnovers and wasn’t helped by the referees, who seemed to bite their whistle when the Lady Cardinals repeatedly attacked the rim against the hounding Lady Raiders. 

Steelville received a scare when junior guard Jazmyn Hurd went down early in the fourth quarter with an apparent lower-body injury. The lively crowd turned into a hush as Hurd was helped off the court by her mom and her teammates. Thankfully for Hurd and the Lady Cards, she emerged from the locker room shortly after, and gutted out the final few minutes of action.

Hurd was the Lady Cardinals leading scorer on the evening and finished with 14 points on five field goals and four free throws. Aaleigha Decker played with a relentless energy throughout the evening and was constantly on the floor fighting for extra possessions. She scored 13 points, knocked down a three-pointer and shot a stellar eight of nine from the free-throw line. Emeri Perkins added eight and sophomore Claire Settles drained her first varsity three-pointer. Sylvia Davis, Alex Helms and Adalei Perkins each chipped in two points and Peyton Brooks knocked down a free throw to add one. Reagan Pierce led North County with 19 points, Allison Scott added 12 and Emma Roper chipped in 11 in the winning effort.

The Lady Cardinals hosted the St. James Lady Tigers on Dec. 8, which will be detailed in next week’s edition. Steelville will then host Richland on Dec. 11 before competing from Dec. 15-Dec. 20 in the Peoples Bank Holiday Classic in Sullivan with times and opponents TBD. The Lady Cards’ JV team is scheduled to compete in the St. James JV Tournament beginning on Dec. 13 with times and opponents TBD.