Lady Blue Devils take tournament title

DIXON — It took a half, but once the Davis High girls basketball team zeroed in on Inderkum’s primary scorer, the game and the Dixon Ram Jam tournament championship was on ice.

The Lady Blue Devils throttled the Tigers by 20-plus points for the second time this season, with this encounter going to the locals, 70-49, Saturday at the Barnyard at Dixon High.

Inderkum kept it close early as Tiger guard Sakara Brewer splashed in 17 points in the first half, erasing what had been a double-digit DHS lead.

But the Devils locked the hot shooter down in the final two periods, limiting Brewer to eight points and choking off the Tigers’ only real scoring threat.

“They got hot on the outside (in the first half),” DHS head coach Karen Foster said after the game. “We just made sure to get a hand in her face. We cheated out on the shooter all second half.”

On the other side of the ball, Inderkum never had an answer for Davis senior Ashleigh Vandenbrink, who led the Devils with 20 points, 10 boards and five assists.

DHS also got big nights out of sophomore Emma Stenz who put up 15 points, seven rebounds and two dimes, and senior Tori Powell who dropped 12 with one board and three assists.

“My shot was really falling (Saturday),” Vandenbrink said.

The Devil co-captain was named tournament MVP. Stenz also earned all-tourney honors.

With the win, Davis improves to 11-3 on the season with just two more nonconference tilts until league play starts in two weeks.

Foster was impressed with how well her squad responded to the Tigers’ physical style, which the coach said the Blue Devils will see a lot of in conference play.

“(This game) was pivotal,” Foster said. “It definitely gives us momentum going into league. This team was physical and we matched their defense and the physicality well (Saturday).”

DHS shot 46 percent from the floor with 36 rebounds and 17 assists, getting strong all-around performances from Rachael Allison, who had six boards, four assists and two points, and Caitlin Mazzoleni (eight points, six boards). Danielle Gantar added six points, and Katie Grahn scored two.

Foster also threw a lot of praise at her young point guard, freshman Anna Belenis, who finished the game with four assists and three boards to go with four points.

“She played very well,” Foster said. “Penetrating and finding the open man, she was amazing.”

Next up the Lady Blue Devils travel to Whitney on Thursday at 7 p.m., then come back home for Yuba City on Saturday. Conference play starts on Jan. 8 against Elk Grove at home at 7 p.m.

— Reach Tom Sakash at tsakash@davisenterprise.net or 530-747-8057. Follow him on Twitter @TomSakash.

DHS’ Emma Stenz puts up a shot on Saturday. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

DHS’ Ashleigh Vandenbrink puts up a 3-pointer in the Blue Devils’ 70-49 win over Inderkum on Saturday in the title game of the Dixon Ram Jam. Vandenbrink scored 20 points and was named tournament MVP. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

DHS’ Tori Powell soars to the rim as the Blue Devils won the championship at the Dixon Ram Jam. Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo

Tom Sakash

Tom Sakash covers the city beat for The Davis Enterprise. Reach him at tsakash@davisenterprise.net, (530) 747-8057 or @TomSakash.

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