For the first time since 2011, the Saxony Lutheran girls basketball team failed to place in the top three of the annual First State Community Bank Holiday Classic at the Show Me Center.
The Crusaders, who were seeded No. 4 in this year’s Classic, took fifth instead as they won the consolation championship with a 48-24 win over No. 7 Scott City on the final day of the tournament Dec. 22.
Saxony had five players score seven or more points as only one of them reached double digits in junior Emma Voelker, who produced a game-high 11 points along with five rebounds and two steals. Voelker scored six of her points at the free-throw line as she only missed one of her seven attempts.
Pacing Voelker in scoring for the Crusaders was senior Maddox Murphy as she tied as the game’s second-leading scorer at nine points with Scott City senior Jersey Black. Overall in this year’s Holiday Classic, Murphy came away with a team-high 32 points to finish as the No. 8 scorer in the tournament.
Murphy, who is verbally committed to play at Columbia College, was the only player for Saxony voted to the 2020 Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team.
Fellow Saxony senior Sydney Turner and sophomore Abagayle Britton each scored nine points as Turner had a game-high six steals and also five rebounds.
The other Crusader to finish with at least seven points was senior Alice Hogendobler, who collected a team-high seven rebounds along with recording three assists and two steals.
Saxony (5-4) will return to action against SEMO Conference opponent Sikeston on Jan. 4 at home.
