Farmington Girls Net Hoopsgiving Victory

FARMINGTON — Farmington found out what it’s like to play without Jenna Lawrence when the 6-feet-3 junior drew her second foul defending the post with 4:19 left in the second quarter against Mountain View.

Farmington coach Brad Johnson considers that quality game experience during the nonconference portion of the 2021-22 girls basketball season with the Lady Cardinals ranked among the top contenders in the 4A classification and winners of the 2021 Hoopsgiving Tournament hosted by Bergman by virtue of their 62-31 victory over Mountain View on Nov. 23.

Lawrence went to the bench as Emry Johnson sank 1-of-2 free throws to keep the Yellowjackets under a 10-point deficit trailing 24-15. Brad Johnson changed his defense fronting the 6-0 Emry Johnson and the Lady Cardinals held their own on the boards and got their points elsewhere.

Carson Dillard nailed a trio of 3-pointers and led the team with 18 points, Reese Shirey also hit a trey adding 12 points while Megan Hernandez chipped in 9 and Lawrence, 8.

Mountain View cut the lead to 25-18 on Josie Storey’s 3- point play, but Dillard drained a trey at the other end putting the Lady Cardinals back up by 10 and Farmington would hold the Yellowjackets without a point for the rest of the half. Shirey drove the length of the court slashing her way to the basket for a bucket which gave Farmington a 30-18 cushion at halftime.

Farmington built a 39-24 lead on Dillard’s free throws at the 3:19 mark of the third then threw a full-court press at the Yellowjackets which caused three straight turnovers. Shirey knocked down a trifecta from the right corner then took a rebound and pushed the ball into the front- court before throwing a lead pass to J’Myra London for a layup. Mazzie Carlson worked a give-n-go with Morgan Brye in the post. Brye’s assist to Carlson swelled the lead to 22 points.

Storey scored with a rebound for Mountain View but Shirey got out on the break, stopped and popped a short jumper in the key and drew a foul. Her 3-point play lifted the Lady Cardinals to a 49-26 advantage at the close of the third quarter.

Brad Johnson went to all reserves at the 4:19 mark of the fourth allowing more players to get in the game. Five Lady Cardinals produced points off the bench with 10 total players getting in the scoring column.

Kennedy Holland and Storey shared scoring honors for Mountain View with nine points apiece and Rylee Shipman added eight.