GILMAN GIRLS BASKETBALL - Loyal trips up Gilman in a close one

GILMAN GIRLS BASKETBALL

The Gilman girls basketball team went into their holiday break on a frustrating note, falling 54-51 at Loyal in a hard-fought Eastern Cloverbelt Conference game Dec. 22.

Olivia Nikolai hit four 3-point shots and scored a game-high 20 points for the Greyhounds, who got above the .500 mark in league play at 3-2. Loyal is 7-3 overall after beating Rosholt last week.

The game was tied 20-20 at halftime. Gilman stuck right with the Greyhounds with help from two 3-point baskets by Aubrey Steinbach and five-of-six free throw shooting from Jaylyn Orth.

Saddled with three first-half fouls, Gilman go-to senior, Danielle Mann, broke out in the second half, scoring 13 of her 17 points. Freshman Addy Vick scored all of her season-high nine points after halftime, including two 3s. Claire Drier had five points after the half as well.

But it wasn’t quite enough as Nikolai followed up her three first-half 3s with 11 more points, including four-of-six free throw shooting. In fact, the Greyhounds did much of their second-half damage from the free throw line. They were 15 of 24 for the game, including 11 of 15 after halftime.

Addysen Wolf scored 15 points for Loyal and Autumn Zvolena added seven, including three key free throws down the stretch. Sheila Tellock scored all six of her points in the second half.

Gilman, who fell to 1-4 in league play, got seven points from Orth, six from Steinbach, five from Drier and Kayleigh James and a first-half basket from Allie Olynick. The Pirates’ seven 3-pointers was their second-highest total of the season. They shot well at the free throw line but just didn’t get there as much as Loyal did, making eight of 12.

Drier and Olynick led Gilman with seven rebounds each, Mann had four and James had three. Olynick had four assists, while Mann and James had three each and Vick and Drier dished out two apiece. Mann had three steals, while Vick, Drier and James added two each.