Kirkwood at Parkway North (Top Five Stars)
Prep Girls Hoops was at Parkway North on Friday night to take in a big showdown between the host Vikings and Kirkwood. These two St. Louis area power programs have staged some tremendous games in recent years and this year…
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Continue ReadingPrep Girls Hoops was at Parkway North on Friday night to take in a big showdown between the host Vikings and Kirkwood. These two St. Louis area power programs have staged some tremendous games in recent years and this year was no different as both of their meetings have gone down to the wire. In the first meeting, Parkway North held off a Kirkwood rally to win in the quarterfinals of the Visitation Christmas Tournament.
Friday night’s game followed the same pattern as Parkway North sprinted to a 31-19 lead and led by as many as 15 points in the second half, only to see Kirkwood stage another big second half rally. This time, the Pioneers were able to break through and pull out a dramatic 51-50 victory to put a stranglehold on the Suburban Conference Yellow Pool division.
Here is a look at the Top Five Stars from the Kirkwood-Parkway North game:
No. 1 Star: Natalie Bruns (Kirkwood)
The 6’0″ 2020 do-it-all performer scored a team-high 21 points, with the biggest coming on a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left to give the Pioneers the victory. The versatile Bruns plays all five positions for the Pioneers. She is capable of scoring in the paint with her post moves, but her perimeter game is excellent with her ability to handle the ball and create off the dribble. She scores on drives and knocked down a pair of step-back 3-pointers. She has the ability to put the team on her back when she feels the need.
No. 2 Star: Aliyah Williams (Parkway North)
The dynamic 5’4” 2021 point guard scored a game high 24 points, including 18 in the first half to stake the Vikings to their double digit lead. Her combination of speed and quickness and 3-point shooting makes her very difficult to defend. She can break defenders off with escape moves to get to the basket or she can pull up from long distance. She made four 3-pointers in the first half.
No. 3 Star: Rylee Mulvaney (Kirkwood)
The 5’11” 2020 guard scored 20 points and played a big role in Kirkwood’s big second half comeback. Her height and length at the top of the full court press was vital in creating several turnovers. On the offensive end, she knocked down a pair of Corner 3-pointers in the rally while also scoring in transition off of the Vikings’ turnovers.
No. 4 Star: Mackenzie Rhodes (Parkway North)
The 5’7 2020 guard got her Senior Night started on a high note when she sang the National Anthem beautifully. She then went out and scored 11 points on the night. She did an excellent job of attacking the basket as she scored on four straight line drives and she did it going right or left. She also dropped some nice dimes off of her dribble penetration.
No. 5 Stars: Tara Benham and Kate Jozwiakowski (Kirkwood)
Benham is a 6’0″ 2022 forward who scored eight points and did a nice job scoring inside on the offensive boards and passing the ball from the high post. Jozwiakowski is a 5’5″ 2020 guard who played a stellar role on the defensive end in the second half. She had the job of face-guarding Parkway North’s Aliyah Williams after she scored 18 points in the first half. She played a big role in holding Williams to six second-half points, which helped bring Kirkwood back from a 15-point deficit for the win.