The Winston Redbirds traveled to Gilman City on Thursday night, playing the Hawks in a pair of varsity games re-scheduled from mid-December due to icy conditions at that time.
The opener from the Gilman City gym appeared to be tipping in the direction of the Winston girls, who led 9-5 after one quarter, 21-12 at halftime, and 33-24 after three quarters. However, the Ladyhawks defense held Winston to just four points in the final quarter, helping Gilman City to a come-from-behind 40-37 victory.
Gilman City senior Hailey Burrows led her squad with 23 points, while Megan Cottrell added 11. For Winston, Sophie Pliley and Shelby Mason both had 12 points.
In the boys game, Winston backed up its stature as the unbeaten, top-ranked Class 1 team in the state, as senior guard Craig Lewis scored 20 points, leading the Redbirds to a 71-21 win at Gilman City. Cy Uthe had 17 for WHS. Cornelius Peery led the Hawks with seven. In the game, Winston’s Lewis went over the 1,000 point mark in his high school career, while breaking Winston’s school record for three-pointers made in a career. Lewis’ 149 3 point shots breaks the mark held by Thad Youngs, who graduated from Winston High School in 1997.
The Redbirds travel to St. Joseph Christian to play the Lions on Tuesday.
In other basketball results from Thursday night, the Marceline boys, behind 26 points from Mackenzie Fessler, moved into the championship game of the North Shelby Tournament with a 56-45 win over LaPlata. The Marceline Lady Tigers took a 62-33 win over Atlanta in the consolation semifinals at Shelbyville.
The Tina-Avalon girls beat a short-handed Southwest Livingston squad 45-30. The Cameron Lady Dragons scraped out a 34-32 win over Richmond.
In the Grand River Conference’s Western Division, the Pattonsburg Panthers swept the Albany Warriors, winning the girls game 43-27 and taking a 59-38 victory over the Warriors in the boys contest. St. Joseph Christian and Worth County split a double-dip, with the Lady Tigers winning big, 62-39, while the Lions took the boys win, 35-34.
The Benton boys upset Maryville on the Cardinals home floor, 58-57, while the Lafayette boys fell to Liberty 63-60.
