Telegraph Staff Writer
Keystone Heights Junior High School was coming off a 19-point win, but the Indians were no match for top seed Williston, which won the Suwannee Middle Athletic Conference girls basketball championship by defeating Keystone 39-12 on Jan. 26 in Interlachen.
The Indians assured themselves of at least conference runner-up status with a 23-4 semifinal win over Lake Butler on Jan. 24. Daisy Hubbard led scored a game-high seven points, while Riley Shuford and Kaiya Thompson each scored six. Keystone also got two points each from Andrea Brody and Taylor Hall.
Things started out positively for Keystone in the championship game. Williston missed three of its first four field-goal attempts, with the Indians’ Brody grabbing two defensive rebounds and Thompson grabbing one. The Indians, however, struggled with turnovers, which helped Williston take a 21-0 lead. Shuford made a three-pointer before the end of the first quarter to finally put Keystone on the board.
Thompson and Bella Cumbo each had a steal for Keystone early in the second quarter. Cumbo and Hubbard each grabbed a defensive rebound as Williston was unable to increase its lead. Shuford was then fouled on a drive to the basket. She made one free throw to make the score 21-4.
Hubbard grabbed two more defensive rebounds as the Red Devils continued to struggle. Williston eventually scored to go up 23-4, but that would be its only basket of the quarter.
Shuford grabbed an offensive rebound and sank a jump shot to make it a 23-6 game going into halftime.
Hubbard grabbed three defensive rebounds in the third quarter, while Cumbo had two offensive rebounds. However, Keystone couldn’t get on the scoreboard, which left the Indians trailing 33-6 going into the final quarter.
Thompson scored the first points of the fourth quarter, making a baseline jumper. Later, following a Williston turnover, Thompson was fouled while shooting. She missed both free throws, but Hubbard rebounded the second miss and passed it back to Thompson for a basket, making the score 33-10.
Hubbard later picked up a loose ball in the lane and scored as the Indians opened the final quarter with a 6-0 run.
Shuford finished the game with six points, while Thompson had four.
Hubbard, who added two points, came up with four steals and reached double digits in rebounds.
