Apollo-Ridge girls cruise to victory at host tournament

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, December 27, 2018 | 8:39 PM

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Leechburg was the first to score in Thursday’s girls basketball game against Apollo-Ridge at the Apollo Trust holiday tournament.

Aubry Skeel converted a layup 20 seconds in and the Blue Devils were in the lead.

However, it was all Vikings after that.

A 12-0 run in a span of three minutes allowed Apollo-Ridge to take control of what resulted in a 73-16 victory.

“We shared the ball really well tonight,” said sophomore guard Morgan Gamble, who scored 10 points in the first quarter and finished with a career-high 26.

“We set (winning the tournament) as a goal and we want to work on some things so we’re prepared to face the teams like Freeport and Knoch. We want to get the job done against them and make the playoffs.”

Senior guard Liz Penrose finished with 16 points.

Fellow senior Maddy Moore scored seven in the first quarter and finished with 12.

“We’re starting to fine-tune for the section when it starts back up next week,” Apollo-Ridge coach Jim Callipare said.

“We saw a lot of really good things. A number of girls got some good minutes off the bench, chipped in with a bucket here and there and played well. We still have a ways to go to be where we want to be, but it’s coming together. We’re headed in the right direction.”

Apollo-Ridge improved to 6-1 overall and will play Saltsburg at 6 p.m. Friday. Saltsburg defeated Highlands, 63-28, in the first game Thursday.

“That will be a good test for us,” Callipare said. “Saltsburg is a quick, aggressive, pressing team.”

Leechburg (2-4) and Highlands will play at 3 p.m. Friday.

“It’s a process for us, and these girls are learning and working hard,” Blue Devils coach Andre Carter said. “We are a little shorthanded right now, but they will be back. It was a tough game tonight, but I can see we are improving.”

Leechburg was without starters Kat Yurjevich (illness) and Rina Foley (knee).

Carter expects Yurjevich back in the lineup for the Blue Devils’ home game against Clairton next Thursday as Section 3-A play resumes.

Foley, Carter said, still is a couple weeks away from returning to game action.

Skeel led Leechburg with eight points.

Apollo-Ridge added to a 34-point halftime advantage with a quick 7-2 run early in the third quarter.

Gamble then buried a 3-pointer at the 5:34 mark to extend the lead to 55-13 and put the 40-point mercy rule into effect.

At that point, the clock only stopped for timeouts, injuries and free throws.

Sophomore starting forward Maddie Marks (family vacation) is not playing in the tournament but will be back when Apollo-Ridge visits Knoch on Jan. 3 for the first Section 1-4A game of the New Year.

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Michael at 412-388-5825, mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MLove_Trib.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Leechburg