Girls basketball: Raven Wagner scores 19 as Hinckley-Big Rock runs past Harvest Christian

HINCKLEY – In the past five years, games between Harvest Christian and Hinckley-Big Rock have been insanely close, with no game decided by more than five points.

The Royals broke the trend in a big way on Monday with a 65-21 win over the Lions in a rematch of last year’s Class 1A H-BR Regional title game won by the Royals.

[ Photos: Hinckley-Big Rock girls basketball hosts Harvest Christian ]

“We played over the summer and it was a pretty tight game. All my other past years was a pretty tight game,” said Raven Wagner, who had 19 points, eight rebounds and three steals in the win. “Then tonight we go up 20 and everyone was like we got this game in the bag, we locked down defense, and our shots all fell. We had a good game.”

Sami Carlino scored the first nine points for the Royals (13-7), dominating the inside, then Anna Herrmann scored the next nine as they turned a 5-4 game into a 25-4 lead in the second quarter and a 42-9 lead at the halftime break.

Harvest Christian (5-7) was never within 30 points in the second half. Coach Jeremy Burke said the Lions were without two starters in the game because of other commitments.

“We were missing some people, but overall the people that were here tonight came out and competed,” Burke said. “That’s all I can ask them to do. Even when things aren’t going your way, shots aren’t falling, they seem to be making everything‚ we still have to battle. And that’s what we did tonight.”

The Royals went on a 39-5 run between the first and third quarters to ice the game. Wagner scored the first eight points of the second quarter for the Royals and 15 total in the quarter after not scoring in the first.

The junior forward can play inside or out, and coach Doug Brewington said that causes problems for some teams. He called Wagner’s game Monday the most balanced of the season for her.

“She looks like an elite defender, getting downhill in the paint and hitting 3s,” Brewington said. “She’s a matchup nightmare for most 1A basketball teams. With her size and athleticism, the ability to play inside and outside. When she plays like this, she’s as good as it gets.”

Before Wagner got going, Carlino and Herrmann provided the inside-out game for the Royals. Carlino finished with 13 points and nine rebounds and Herrmann had 15 points, three rebounds and three steals after both had nine first quarter points.

Herrmann drained a 3-pointer with 2:55 left in the third, her 77th of the season, breaking her school record set last year. Last week the sophomore sharpshooter became the school’s career leader in 3-pointers.

“I think we moved the ball pretty well going in and out,” Wagner said. “With Anna fading or following or always finding that window once we get that post touch, we know automatically to look to score or look to pass to dump and Anna’s immediately there. We just kick right back out and she drains it.”

Daphne Brown led the Lions with seven points, six rebounds and three steals. Izzy Abraham added six points and six rebounds.

The Lions shot 1 for 12 from long range, while the Royals were 9 for 21.

“When you’re on like that, you’re just on,” Burke said. “You just have to keep battling. One more step faster and I feel like we’re right there.”

The Royals won last year’s regional final 33-30 after HCA won 53-51 earlier in the season. The teams were 2-2 against each other since 2019, and the cumulative score was tied at 188-188 in those four games.

Brewington said the Royals were hitting on all cylinders Monday and executed as well as they had all year.

“We’re making teams pick their poison,” Brewington said. “Either you defend our shooter or you double down in the post. It’s tough to defend both, especially when everybody is chipping in the way we did tonight.”

https://www.shawlocal.com/daily-chronicle/2024/01/09/girls-basketball-raven-wagner-scores-19-as-hinckley-big-rock-runs-past-harvest-christian/