Grand Meadow Superlarks girls basketball team falls to Houston 53-49 Thursday evening
In a game you heard on AM 1480 KAUS, the Grand Meadow Superlarks girls basketball team was in search of win number three in a row Thursday night as they played host to the Houston Hurricanes in a Southeast Conference matchup, and although the Superlarks staged a furious second-half comeback from a 15-point deficit, the Hurricanes were able to use two late field goals and two free throws off of a Grand Meadow turnover with under :10 seconds left to earn their first win in Grand Meadow since 2010 by a score of 53-49.
The Larks led 4-0 to start the game, but the Hurricanes used seven 3-pointers and a stingy 2-3 zone defense that kept Grand Meadow out on the perimiter for nearly the entire first half to go on a 25-7 run to take a 25-11 lead. The Hurricanes led by 15 at the half at 35-20, and the lead stayed at 15 points into the second half at 40-25 until the Superlarks went on an 8-0 run to cut the Houston lead to 40-33. A 3-pointer from Jorja Meyer, the only 3-point field goal of the second half for the Hurricanes pushed their lead back to 10 at 43-33, but Grand Meadow then embarked on an 11-4 run to cut the deficit to 47-44 late in the half. A putback basket from junior guard Lauren Queensland with :23 left cut the Houston lead to two points at 51-49, and the Larks then committed two quick fouls to put the Hurricanes in the bonus. The strategy worked when guard Aubry Boldt missed the front end of a one-and-one, and senior guard/forward Lexy Foster secured the rebound with time ticking down. The Superlarks were able to get the ball into the front court with a chance to tie or take the lead, but a critical traveling call with :06 left gave the ball back to Houston. Guard Avery Kingsley, the leading scorer and free-throw shooter for the Hurricanes received the inbounds pass and was fouled immediately. She then stepped to the line and drained both free throws to put the game out of reach at 53-49 for the final.
Queensland finished the game with a double-double for the Superlarks of 28 points and 10 rebounds, Lexy Foster added 13 points and nine rebounds, Gracie Foster totaled six points, and Rylee Schaufler scored two points Thursday night.
Grand Meadow is now 13-8 on the season overall and 7-4 in the Southeast Conference, and the Superlarks are right back into action tonight (Friday) in Lanesboro versus the Burros, with the Southeast Conference matchup set to tip off at 7:15 p.m.
