PARKERSBURG - Host Parkersburg had no answer for Huntington's Kiana Evans and company here Wednesday night inside Memorial Fieldhouse as the Highlanders strolled into town and drubbed the Big Reds, 73-55, in Mountain State Athletic Conference girls basketball action.
Evans not only finished with game-highs of 28 points and 12 rebounds, but she helped the Highlanders (13-5) start the contest on an 8-0 spurt and PHS never made it a one possession game again.
Huntington, off until a road affair Saturday at North Marion, took the lead for good just a dozen seconds into the contest. That's when Dominique Gibson scored on a pick-and-roll from one of LaKisha Adkins' seven assists. Adkins finished with 13 points.
The tone of the night for the Big Reds defensively was set on their next possession as Evans grabbed a defensive rebound and then raced coast-to-coast for an easy lay-in, which prompted PHS head coach Kenny DeMoss to call his first timeout.
A steal and another coast-to-coast layup by Evans was followed by an easy Abby Steele lay-in for an 8-0 advantage at the 6:27 mark. Huntington, which went 12 of 15 from the foul line compared to the Big Reds' 2 of 2 showing, knocked down 10 of 20 field goals in the opening eight minutes and held a 23-12 cushion. It was actually 23-8 after Gibson scored another deuce, but Precious Ramsey and Paige Warner added hoops to cut the deficit to 11.
Kennedy Walker, who joined teammate Imani Ward in leading the red and white with 12 points apiece, drained a jumper to keep the deficit at 11, 29-18, with 3:57 left in the first half, but Evans hit consecutive 3s and Steele added a foul shot as the Highlanders had a commanding 36-18 lead at the 2:57 mark.
Parkersburg, losers of five straight and now 6-12 on the campaign, trailed 40-25 at halftime and 52-36 after three.
Hannah Mueller chipped in eight points for the Big Reds, who return to action on Friday at Parkersburg South. Megan Morrison tallied five points and had a game-high nine assists while Ward added seven rebounds.
Gibson and Steele, who had six caroms apiece, each finished with nine points while Highlander teammate Chelsea Woodson scored six points and had a game-high six steals.
