Vina’s girls got their season off to a strong start last week, winning six of seven games at the Vina Holiday Invitational and taking home the tournament title.
Senior guard Abby Hester led the way for the Lady Red Devils (6-1), averaging 20.7 points for the tournament and shooting 70-for-80 from the foul line. Hester handed out double-figure assists in six of the seven games, including a state record 19 in an 80-32 win over Waterloo on Saturday.
Sophomore guard Kaitlyn King scored a career-high 34 points in that rout of Waterloo, knocking down eight three-pointers. King averaged 15.9 points per game for the tournament and made a team-high 24 threes.
Junior forward Emma Humphres also had a strong tournament, averaging 11.7 points and making 18 threes in six games. Vina averaged 69.4 points per game over the course of three days, earning wins over Whitesburg Christian Academy, Sheffield, Winston County, Fayette County, Paint Rock Valley and Waterloo. The Lady Red Devils lost just once, falling 76-73 to Addison in their second game of the tournament last Thursday.
“We’re a lot better than we were last year,” said head coach Richie Hester, whose team finished 22-9 last season. “We’re a much stronger team in a lot of different ways. I think the tournament was good for everybody. Every team that came down had a good time and got in some good games. It helped everybody.”
Vina will have this week off before opening area play at home next Tuesday, November 28 against Hackleburg.
Vina 67 Whitesburg Christian 47
Abby Hester had 17 points and 11 assists for the Lady Red Devils in their tournament opener last Thursday.
Kaitlyn King also scored 17 points for Vina, knocking down three threes. Emma Humphres, Rayleigh Guin and Sarah Johnson each added eight points. Hester shot 8-for-10 from the foul line.
Addison 76 Vina 73
Double-doubles from Abby Hester and Emma Humphres were not enough for the Lady Red Devils in last Thursday’s loss to Addison.
Hester scored 13 of her team-high 25 points in the fourth quarter and also handed out 10 assists. Humphres hit six threes and finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Both players fouled out late in the game, along with sophomore guard Kaitlyn King, who scored eight points.
Addison led 56-49 going into the fourth quarter. Vina out-scored the Lady Bulldogs 24-20 in the fourth and had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds, but Rayleigh Guin’s three-pointer rimmed off and Addison held on for the win.
“That was a tough one to lose,” head coach Richie Hester said. “[Addison] was good. They won twenty-six games last year and have three of their top scorers back. They’re ranked seventh in the state. Our girls weren’t ready for that, but that’s why you play these tournaments.
“I think if we played them again, we could beat them. We finally started playing in the fourth quarter. Emma Humphres had a really good game.”
Addison shot 20-for-23 from the line as a team. Abby Hester hit 12-of-13 free throws for Vina and also made three three-pointers.
Vina 69 Sheffield 50
Abby Hester scored 18 points to lead four Vina players in double-figures in Friday’s win.
Hester shot 13-for-16 from the foul line and also dished out 10 assists. Kaitlyn King and Emma Humphres each made four threes, finishing with 16 points and 14 points, respectively. Rayleigh Guin added 10 points.
Vina 60 Winston County 50
Trailing by nine points with five minutes remaining, the Lady Red Devils closed with a 21-2 run to win their second game on Friday going away and hand Winston County its only loss of the tournament.
“That was a big win for us,” Richie Hester said. “We played good and looked like a championship team in that game. That’s what I’m looking for.”
Abby Hester finished the game 16-for-17 from the foul line, including 9-for-9 in the fourth quarter. She scored 13 of her team-high 26 points in the fourth.
Kaitlyn King knocked down four threes and scored 14 points, eight of which came in the big fourth quarter. Rayleigh Guin added seven points, and Emma Humphres finished with six points and eight rebounds. Eighth-grader Sarah Scott pulled down a team-leading 10 boards.
Winston County, which had previously beaten Addison, finished the tournament 4-1. Addison finished 3-1.
Vina 68 Fayette County 46
Abby Hester poured in a season-high 29 points on Saturday morning, leading the Lady Red Devils to an impressive win over Class 4A Fayette County.
Hester went 15-for-18 from the foul line and also handed out 11 assists. Rayleigh Guin, an eighth-grader, added 11 points, and Kaitlyn King had eight. Emma Humphres, Sarah Johnson and Sarah Scott scored six points apiece. Humphres and Scott each pulled down eight rebounds, and Johnson grabbed six boards.
Vina 69 Paint Rock Valley 24
Abby Hester’s triple-double led Vina to an easy victory over Paint Rock on Saturday.
Hester finished with 20 points, 11 assists and 10 steals, knocking down four threes and shooting 4-for-4 from the foul line. Kaitlyn King also made four threes and scored 14 points, and Sarah Johnson and Rayleigh Guin each added 12 points.
Vina 80 Waterloo 32
Sophomore guard Kaitlyn King set new career-highs with eight threes made and 34 points in Vina’s final game of the tournament on Saturday.
Abby Hester scored 10 points and also set a single-game state record with 19 assists. Emma Humphres had 12 points, including a pair of threes. Kaleigh Vandiver knocked down three threes and scored nine points, and Rayleigh Guin added seven points.
