Hot-shooting Wood River cooled off in the second half of Tuesday's Christmas getaway girls' basketball game in Rupert, and the Minico Spartans rallied for a 51-47 Great Basin Conference triumph.
Wood River led 28-20 at halftime but was outscored 19-9 in the third. The game was tied 47-47 before the Spartans closed out the win. Led by Kendra Bailey (a game-high 19 points), Minico outscored Wood River at the free throw line 14-2.
It was the first road loss of the season for coach Mendy Benson's Wolverines (10-2 overall, 5-1 road, 2-2 league). Minico (9-3, 4-1) took over second place in the six-team conference heading into the break.
The game featured 12 3-pointers, seven by Minico and five by a Wood River team that only had 11 in its first 11 games of the 2009-10 season. Minico also snapped Wood River's five-game winning streak.
Sophomore Tristin Bowers (13 points) matched her season-high scoring total for Hailey and sophomore forward Haylee Thompson chipped in with a season-best 10 points. Others were Kaitana Martinez 8 points, Grace Lagodich 5, Alex Lindbloom 5. Cheyenne Swanson 4 and Monica Garceau 2.
Wood River has four home games left, starting with the Tuesday, Jan. 5 non-conference contest against the Wendell Trojans on the Hailey hardwoods. Then the Wolverines visit Jerome (11-1, 5-0 league) on Thursday, Jan. 7. Minico visits Wood River Jan. 26 for the final Wolverine league home game of the season.
