FALLON - Kelly Stephens of Truckee High School scored 11 of her game-high 16 points in the second half Tuesday to lead the girls' Silver team to a 55-44 win over the Blue in the seventh annual Fallon Optimists All-Star Basketball Classic at the Elmo Dericco Gym.
The Truckee senior, who will play basketball and softball next year at College of the Siskiyous (Weed, Calif.), ignited a second-half comeback for the Silver.
"It was really fun playing again," Stephens said.
She said competing with and against players form the Northern 4A increased the intensity of the game.
Meggan Cranmer of McQueen coached the Silver team, and she echoed Stephens sentiments.
"It was so much fun. I had a blast," she said.
Cranmer praised Stephens and how she blended in with the other players, all from the Northern 4A.
"Kelly was an amazing asset to this team," Cranmer added.
Blue team coach Dorsey Thom of Yerington said the girls played hard, but they ran out of energy in the second half.
"I couldn't get Mary (Sprinkel) and Megan (Kilty) enough rest," Thom said.
The Silver team chipped away at the lead in the third quarter and finally tied the Blue team on two free throws from Reno's Angela Ceccarelli. The lead was short-lived when Kaela Horse of Douglas High School drilled a 3-pointer, her second of the night, to give the Blue a slim lead with less than one minute left in the quarter.
Reno's Lauren Dwyer then took over for the Silver during the last 47 seconds. Dwyer connected on a sky hook to cut the lead to one point, 34-33, and her short set shot with 20 seconds remaining gave the Silver team its first lead since the second quarter, 35-34.
The Silver team never trailed in the final quarter. Nicole Raymond (Spanish Springs) and Alyx Sacks (McQueen) made back-to-back baskets for a five-point lead, but Fernley's April Shaw snapped the Silver's 6-0 run with a layup. Carson City's Kilty then scored a basket to cut the lead to a point, 39-38.
The Silver team then pulled away from the Blue and finished the game on a 15-6 run.
Raymond added 12 points for the Silver team, and Ceccarelli added 10.
Both teams began the game missing numerous shots and turning the ball over frequently. The Silver team built a 7-2 lead before Shaw scored form underneath the basket.
The Blue team began to click midway through the second quarter when Horse hit consecutive treys to give her team its first lead, 18-16. Danica Marks of Spanish Springs tied the game, but the Blue pulled away for a four-point halftime lead.
"Horse was the spark off the bench," Thom said.
Sprinkel led the Blue team with 12 points, while Shaw added11 and Horse tallied 10.