CHAMPIONSHIP
Providence Academy 45, Apple Valley 33
Providence Academy took what was free in repeating as the Rotary/US Bank Holiday Classic girls basketball tournament champion Saturday evening at Mayo Civic Center Auditorium.
Despite shooting below .500 from the free throw line, Providence still outscored Apple Valley 17-6 there and pulled away to a 45-33 win in the title game of the 25th annual tournament.
Providence finished 17-of-35 from the line, including just 10-of-20 in the second half, and the Lions sealed their second straight Rotary title with 12 of their last 14 points on free throws over the last eight minutes.
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Providence (9-3), the defending Class AA state champion and ranked No. 1 in Class AA, led by just two points at halftime but never relinquished it. The Lions, coached by Ray Finley and Jamie Waldo, broke away to a double-digit lead with an 8-0 run midway through the second half and held it from there.
Senior guard Leah Szabla led Providence with 17 points and six rebounds, senior guard Taylor Finley scored 11, and junior forward McKenna Happke had a game-high eight rebounds.
Apple Valley (6-4) was hampered by injuries and foul trouble, with two players fouling out and a third going out with a knee injury. The Eagles also lost a starter to an injury in the semifinal round. It was the first Rotary appearance for Apple Valley, which is coached by Jeremy Gordon.
Providence Academy 45, Apple Valley 33
APPLE VALLEY (33)
Melissa Swanson 8, Laurel Kabat 6, Lyndsey Robson 9, Erin Robson 0, Shanni Moorse 6, Sarah Schumacher 0, Kaelyn Dagon 0, Taylor Dagon 4.
Other stats:L. Robson 5 rebounds, 1 steal; T. Dagon 4 rebounds, 1 steal; Swanson 2 rebounds; Schumacher 2 rebounds, 1 block.
PROVIDENCE ACADEMY (45)
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Leah Szabla 17, Taylor Finley 11, Nathalie Ratliff 9, Makenzie Murtha 1, Ashley Borland 5, Mckenna Happke 2.
Other stats:Happke 8 rebounds, 1 block; Szabla 6 rebounds, 1 steal; Ratliff 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block; Borland 2 rebounds, 1 steal.
Halftime:PA 21, AV 19.
Free throws:AV 6-9, PA 17-35.
Three-point goals:5 (Swanson 2, Kabat 2, L. Robson 1), 4 (Finley 2, Szabla 1, Borland 1).
