3A-vs.-2A top-five showdown is all Mount Vernon, 80-34 over Iowa City Regina

MOUNT VERNON — They’ve got the athletes. And they’ve got the buy-in.

“Last year, we were primarily a zone (defensive) team,” Mount Vernon’s Sydney Huber said. “This year, it’s a lot more man.

“We’ve got great athletes that love to play defense, and that’s a big part of what leads to our offense.”

Class 3A top-ranked Mount Vernon held 2A No. 3 Iowa City Regina far, far below its usual offensive output and whacked the Regals, 80-34, in a non-conference girls’ basketball game Saturday night at Mount Vernon High School.

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“We were just being aggressive,” Mount Vernon’s Courtney Franck said. “We were jumping in gaps so they couldn’t drive. We were disruptive.”

Disruptive, defensive and dominant. The Mustangs (9-1) were magnificent on both ends of the floor.

Four Mustangs reached double digits, led by Huber and Chloe Meester with 18 points apiece.

Mount Vernon shot 64.2 percent from the floor, converting on 34 of 53 shots (including 11 of 18 from 3-point range). And the Mustangs held Regina (8-1) to 11-of-49 from the field (22.4 percent).

This was a game that figured to be tight throughout. Instead, the continuous clock went into effect early in the fourth quarter.

Keep in mind, Regina entered the contest averaging 76.9 points per game, the most of any team in any class in Iowa.

“Regina’s a great team,” Huber said. “We came out strong tonight. We have so many great players.”

A University of Evansville signee, Huber scored 14 second-half points, nailing 4 of 5 long-distance shots. Meester grabbed nine rebounds to go with her 9-of-14 shooting.

Freshman Savanna Wright added 16 points, six rebounds and five steals. Taylor Franck tallied 12 points.

Then there was Courtney Franck. Just six points (3-of-3 from the field), but five boards, eight assists and five steals.

“Some people tell me to be more aggressive (as a scorer), but personally, I think I’m better at facilitating,” she said. “I like to get the steals. I like to go get the ball.”

The Franck twins are juniors, and stepsisters of Wright.

Mount Vernon led throughout. It was 14-8 after a quarter, then the Mustangs busted it open in the second quarter for a 30-11 halftime bulge as the Regals made just 3 of 25 first-half shots.

The Mustangs rang up 50 second-half points, hitting 21 of 28 attempts from the field (7 of 9 from deep).

Caitlin Martin led Regina with 10 points. Morgan Miller, who entered the game at 26.1 points per game, was held to eight.

Mount Vernon 80, Iowa City Regina 34

At Mount Vernon

IOWA CITY REGINA (34): Morgan Miller 3-11 0-0 8, Caitlin Martin 4-8 0-1 10, Ella McLaughlin 1-10 1-2 4, Addie McLaughlin 2-11 4-4 8, Adalee Klein 1-5 0-0 2, Ella Keune 0-2 0-0 0, Maggie Sueppel 0-2 2-4, 2, Nora Wade 0-0 0-0 0, Maddie Squiers 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 11-49 7-11 34

MOUNT VERNON (80): Savanna Wright 6-9 0-0 16, Taylor Franck 5-9 0-0 12, Chloe Meester 9-14 0-0 18, Courtney Franck 3-3 0-0 6, Sydney Huber 7-12 0-0 18, Rylee Rasmussen 1-2 0-0 2, Eryn Jackson 2-3 0-0 5, Quinn Pershing 0-0 1-2 1, Alivia Truitt 0-0 0-0 0, Lucy Wischmeyer 0-0 0-0 0, Sophia Meester 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 34-53 1-2 80.

Iowa City Regina 8 3 11 12 — 34

Mount Vernon 14 16 26 24 — 80

3-point goals: Regina 5-23 (Miller 2-8, Martin 2-3, E. McLaughlin 1-5, A. McLaughlin 0-6, Keune 0-1), Mount Vernon 11-18 (Wright 4-6, T. Franck 2-5, Huber 4-5, Jackson 1-2). Team fouls: Regina 4, Mount Vernon 9. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Regina 25 (E. McLaughlin 5), Mount Vernon 34 (C. Meester 9). Assists: Regina 4 (A. McLaughlin 3), Mount Vernon 18 (C. Framck 8). Steals: Regina 6 (A. McLaughlin 2), Mount Vernon 14 (Wright, C. Franck 5). Turnovers: Regina 16, Mount Vernon 8.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com