NIC honors three G-H/V girls

Three players on the Garner/Hayfield/Ventura girls basketball team earned North Iowa Conference recognition following the 2012-13 season.  Maddie Tusha was named to the First Team, while Bri Bier earned Second Team honors and Hannah Hutcheson was recognized with Honorable Mention.

Tusha, a junior, led the team in steals.  She averaged 4.5 steals a game and was second in the conference in this category.  She averaged 8.75 points per game and led the team in rebounding at 5.6 rebounds a game.  She also led the team in blocks with 19.  She shot 38.4 percent from the field and was 34.9 percent from the three-point line.  She shot 64.4 percent from the free throw line.

“Maddie is a very good defender and played on the front end of all our defenses both full court and half court,” said Coach Matt Erpelding.  “Her long wingspan and quickness caused many opponents problems.”

Bier, also a junior, led the team in scoring at 8.96 points a game.  She tied for the lead in assists at 2.9 a game.  She was the second leading rebounder at 4.9 a game.  She led the team at the three-point line with 35.  She shot 33.8 percent from the field and was 28.9 percent from behind the arc.  She shot 61.8 percent from the free throw line.

“Bri did a great job running the point for us this season, as well as being a good defender,” said Erpelding.  “She is very versatile and can play anywhere I need her defensively.  Bri’s offense really came on at the end of the season and she got us off to great starts in our last two tournament games.”

Hutcheson, a senior, averaged 7.33 points per game and was second on the team in steals with  an average of 1.8 steals per game.  She was also second on the team in three-point shots with 30.  She shot 35.3 percent from the field and 30.6 percent from three-point range.  From the free throw line she shot 65 percent.

“Hannah did a great job filling the role of our shooting guard.  She improved her game as the season went on.  She was a very good defender and she used her quickness to get loose balls,” said Erpelding.  “Hannah will definitely be missed next season, as she did a great job filling her role on the team.”

The Cardinals played 14 games and scored a total of 653 points, for an average of 46.6 points a game.  G-H/V’s strong defense held their opponents to an average of 37.5 points a game.