Woodland girls basketball team defeats Delta to claim third place in Delta New Years tournament

DELTA -- Kendra Pinkley kept calling for the ball and her teammates kept finding her.

Pinkley scored a game-high 19 points to lead Woodland past Delta 53-35 to grab third place in the Delta New Years girls basketball tournament Friday.

"I just go up strong and just somehow it goes in," Pinkley said. "I guess I'm lucky."

Pinkley's prowess near the basket was anything but luck. She grabbed 17 rebounds to go with her 19 points.

"We were supposed to be doubling down on Pinkley," Delta coach Randy White said. "First of all, we didn't want it to go into the low post area. But if it went in, we should have been in position to double down."

The Cardinals' lead increased in proportion to their ability to get the ball to Pinkley. When the Bobcats started sucking toward Pinkley, Lindsey Craft started hitting from in close. Craft finished with 12 points, and 10 came in the second half.

"You've always got to look inside," Woodland coach Gary Poynter said. "I told the girls to move the ball because if they're doubling down on Kendra, someone is going to be open. I talk to Kendra about you catch it and you're double teamed and don't have a shot, turn and look to skip it."

Pinkley did a nice job of drawing contact when she did go up for baskets. She earned three chances at conventional three-point plays.

"It's always nice to get a foul because then even if you don't make your shot, you can fall back on your free throws," she said. "But if it's an easy, open shot, I'd rather have that than taking a chance of getting contact and missing it."

Woodland (8-2) seized control from the outset. It started on a 10-1 run and led by at least nine points from late in the first quarter through the remainder of the contest.

Delta's offense couldn't find any rhythm in the first half. The Bobcats (6-4) went 4 of 22 from the field in the first half (18 percent). They also committed nine turnovers before halftime.

"They did a good job with their defense," White said. "They played very well defensively and helped out."

Delta played its best offense in the fourth quarter, when it went 6 of 13 from the field, including 3 of 6 on 3-pointers, but it was too late.

Delta 3 7 7 18 -- 35

Woodland 14 12 14 13 -- 53

DELTA (35) -- Lyndse Hamby 8, Machela VanGennip 11, Chasity Taylor 2, Myra Henson 2, Tori Burton 10, Macey Parks 2. FG 13, FT 6-10, F 14. (3-pointers: VanGennip 1, Burton 2. Fouled out: VanGennip)

WOODLAND (53) -- Josie Long 10, Lindsay Shell 5, Kendra Pinkley 19, Kathlyn Cooper 5, Keighlyn Lincoln 2, Lindsey Craft 12. FG 23, FT 6-14, F 11. (3-pointers: Long 1. Fouled out: none)