The Sacred Heart Jr. High Gremlins made the climb from the #8 seed spot to knock off the #3 seed La Monte Vikings 38-16 in the championship game of the Kaysinger Conference basketball tournament on Feb. 14 at Stover.

The Gremlins maintained control throughout the entire game, thanks to overall team contributions. A balanced scoring effort was led by Breeley Wilson (14), Brooklynn Green (13) and Mariana Restrepo (7). Mariah Van Leer put two points on the board for the Gremlins.

"We told the girls all year that if they kept shooting, the shots will fall and if they played a solid defense, there were very few teams that would beat us," said coach Chad Damlo.

First-year player Emma Lane continued her strong inside presence, pulling down nine rebounds and disrupting the offense with two steals. Additional defensive pressure came from Restrepo with four steals and seven rebounds. Wilson nabbed six rebounds. Green and Van Leer nabbed three and two, respectively.

 

"We lost a few games right before the tournament and the girls took those losses to heart and wanted to prove that they were a better team," said Damlo. "I'm very proud of how they played as a team all year and the way they finished the season."

--Pictured: Front: Mariana Restrepo, Brooklynn Greene, and Breeley Wilson
Back: Chad Damlo, Emma Lane, Ellie Coruna, Shea Smith, Mariah Van Leer and Pete Greene.

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