Complementary posts Brynley Rasmussen, Chloe Meester pace Mount Vernon in 3A top-5 showdown

MOUNT VERNON — Chloe Meester is the starting post. Brynley Rasmussen is the backup post.

But the gap between them isn’t wide. It’s more of a complementary thing.

“They go against each other every day at practice,” Mount Vernon girls’ basketball coach Nate Sanderson said. “The ‘5’ belongs to them collectively.”

Rasmussen was more than capable in her minutes in the paint, registering 12 points to help lead the Class 3A fifth-ranked Mustangs past No. 2 Benton Community, 53-45, in a Wamac Conference cross-divisional game Tuesday night at Mount Vernon High School.

“I really want to help keep the offense moving when I’m in there,” said Rasmussen, whose night included a nifty up-and-under move for a basket.

“I’ve been working on that shot to mix things up.”

Recommended Reading

Photos: Benton Community at Mount Vernon girls’ basketball

The Mustangs (4-0) led throughout, thanks to an efficient first quarter in which they posted six assists against one turnover on their way to an 18-8 lead.

“We wanted to get it inside,” Sanderson said. “We knew we had a height advantage and a reach advantage. The posts did a nice job being patent.”

Sanderson called Rasmussen “a traditional back-to-the-basket post” while Meester “likes to turn and shoot over the top.”

Meester added 12 points, so the two posts combined for 24 points and 11 rebounds.

That headlined a balanced attack; Sydney Huber scored all nine of her points in the second half. Taylor Franck added eight points, Courtney Franck registered seven points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals.

All of that enabled the Mustangs to overcome Benton’s outside game. McKenna Kramer hit 6 of 12 shots from long range (sometimes really long range) and scored a game-high 20 points. The Bobcats (3-1) were 10 of 28 from deep.

“We’ve been getting off to slow starts, and you can’t do that against a good team,” Benton Coach Jeff Zittergruen said.

Emma Townsley added 11 points for the Bobcats.

Benton fought within 27-22 at halftime, but the Mustangs scored eight straight points early in the third quarter to push it back out to 35-24. Their largest lead was 50-34 on Huber’s 3-pointer early in the fourth.

Mount Vernon 53, Benton Community 45

At Mount Vernon

BENTON COMMUNITY (45): Emma Townsley 3-12 5-8 11, Piper Nelson 1-4 0-2 2, McKenna Kramer 7-13 0-0 20, Aubrey Kelly 3-7 0-0 9, Zoey Junge 1-7 0-0 3, Hannah Greiner 0-2 0-0 0, Jessa DeMoss 0-1 0-0 0, Sophia Seeck 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 15-47 5-10 45.

MOUNT VERNON (53): Courtney Franck 3-7 0-0 7, Taylor Franck 2-4 3-4 8, Chloe Meester 4-13 4-4 12, Sydney Huber 2-7 4-4 9, Peyton Simpson 0-3 2-4 2, Eryn Jackson 1-2 0-0 3, Brynley Rasmussen 5-6 2-6 12. Totals 17-42 15-22 53.

Benton Community 8 14 10 13 — 45

Mount Vernon 18 9 17 9 — 53

3-point goals: Benton 10-28 (Townsley 0-5, Nelson 0-1, Kramer 6-12, Kelly 3-6, Seeck 0-1), Mount Vernon 4-10 (C. Franck 1-2, T. Franck 1-2, Huber 1-3, Simpson 0-1, Jackson 1-2). Team fouls: Benton 16, Mount Vernon 15. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Benton 26 (Townsley, Kelly 5), Mount Vernon 38 (Simpson 9). Assists: Benton 6 (Townsley 3), Mount Vernon 11 (C. Franck, T. Franck 3). Steals: Benton 4 (Kramer 2), Mount Vernon 8 (C. Franck 3). Turnovers: Benton 12, Mount Vernon 10.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com