Mineral Wells Area News

Samples, Richardson named tourney MVPs

By DAVID MAY | Special to Mineral Wells Area News

For the second straight year the Mineral Wells Lady Rams close out a year as tournament champions. Once again, it happened in Windthorst.

Mineral Wells (15-7) closed out the Windthorst Tournament with wins Saturday over Vernon and the host team to sweep the holiday event with four wins in two days. The Lady Rams defeated Henrietta and Gordon on Friday.

Senior Kahlea Samples tallied 49 points in the four wins while sophomore Aniah Richardson totaled 38, including a game-high 17 on Friday against Gordon. Both guards earned tourney MVP honors for their efforts. Samples earned MVP honors in last year’s tournament.

While there are other team and individual superlatives, a major one to note is junior post Emery Boswell coming up big with 51 total rebounds (12.75 rpg) in the four contests, including 17 glass cleanings against Vernon.

Junior guard Addyson Moore had herself a tournament as well with 48 total points.

After a strong start against Vernon in Saturday’s first game, Mineral Wells had to hold off a late charge from the Lady Lions and overcome foul trouble by Samples before fouling out. The Lady Rams held on for a 43-38 win.

Samples finished with a team-high 16 points, with 12 coming off four made deep balls. She was 4-of-5 from behind the arc.

The Lady Rams only made it to the free throw line eight times but made six of those to mark more improvement from their first-game shooting woes. Mineral Wells made 11-of-24 attempts from inside the arc and five of 15 three-point attempts.

Jaylee Newman finished with eight points, with seven apiece coming from Richardson and Moore. Maci Ruelas drained a trey. Boswell chipped in a basket while pulling down 17 of the team’s 24 total rebounds – 15 of those coming off the defensive glass.

Mineral Wells led the Lady Lions, 25-14, at halftime but were outscored in the second half, 24-18. The Lady Rams scratched out just four points in the final period but claimed the win.

The tourney finale was an easier victory as Mineral Wells downed Windthorst, 50-37.

Moore led the Lady Rams with 14 points and four assists. Also scoring in double digits was Jaylee Newman with 10 points, while defensively registering four boards, two blocks, two deflections and a steal.

Richardson and Boswell added nine points each while Samples provided eight points. Boswell again finished with double-figure rebounds, totaling 14 with 10 coming off the defensive boards.

Mineral Wells opens District 6-4A play Friday, Jan. 3, hosting Brownwood (17-6).