Packer girls win Albert Lea basketball tournament
Published 6:43 pm Friday, December 28, 2012
Austin's Steph Justice looks for a player closer to the basket for a pass during the championship round of the Tiger Classic in Albert Lea on Friday. -- Brandi Hagen/Albert Lea Tribune
ALBERT LEA — The Austin girls basketball team won the Albert Lea Tournament for the second straight year when they beat Albert Lea (3-6 overall) 65-57 Friday.
Austin's Sydney Murphy makes a pass while being defended by Albert Lea's Bryn Woodside. Austin took first place in the Tiger Classic.
The Packers (3-7 overall), who have now won three straight, led by as many as 17 as they played strong early in the second half.
“The girls really played well,” Austin head coach Todd Johnson said. “Albert Lea made a comeback and the girls held on for a big win.”
Mer Gach led Austin with 15 points and Taylor Lady chipped in 14.
Austin had lost to AL 74-56 Dec. 11 when the Packers led a 16-point lead slip away.
Austin 23 42 — 65
AL 17 40 — 57
Austin scoring: Mer Gach, 15; Taylor Lady, 14; Jenna Svoboda, 12; Steph Justice, 8; Jocelyn Sheehan, 5; Merideth Fritz, 5; Sydney Murphy, 4; Shayley Vesel, 2; free throws: 55 percent (17-for-31)