Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

WEST LIBERTY – Morgan Squiers felt like a breakthrough was coming.

Stuck in a bit of a shooting slump that saw the Regina junior scored 15 total points in six games Squiers showed signs of a breakout performance with a season-high 16 points in a win at Tipton on Friday.

That was just the start for Squiers.

Squiers made her first five shots and poured in a career-high 18 points as Class 2A seventh-ranked Regina outlasted 3A No. 13 West Liberty 68-61 on Tuesday in a River Valley Conference South Division showdown in West Liberty.

“I was definitely in need of one of those games for sure,” Squiers said. “It’s a big confidence boost to hit some shots and I was able to gain some confidence.”
Squiers entered averaging 4.9 points per game on the season but had 13 in the first half after hitting three 3-pointers in the opening three minutes of the second quarter.

The junior guard finished 4-of-6 from 3-point range as Regina shot 62 percent from the floor while improving to 10-1 on the season and 6-0 in RVC South Division games.

“She shot without a pulse there in the first half and I told her at half if you can duplicate that it would be great,” Regina coach Mary Rogers said. “She is confident with her shot and she has only been improving and she has been shooting with more confidence.”

It was the perfect time for a breakthrough for Squiers as Regina needed every point to outlast West Liberty and standout Kelsey Joens.

The City High transfer had a game-high 32 points and nine rebounds despite sitting the final four minutes of the first half after picking up her third foul.

“She is not one thing she is a three-dimensional player and that’s why she’s doing what she is doing at the next level,” Rogers said Joens. “I know she had 32 but wanted to make it as difficult as possible for her and then try to outscore them.”

Regina used it offensive balance to offset the excellent outing from Joens.

Junior Alli Clark had 19 points to lead four Regals in double figures.

“That is what is great about our depth is it is just the next person up,” Rogers said. “If someone is not hitting who is next? Who is going to step up and do it and that’s what I said from the beginning how this team is going to win.”

Joens had 13 points in the opening quarter as West Liberty took a 21-15 lead.

Regina pulled even at 37-37 at the half and took control of the game with a 16-5 run to open the second half.

Clark capped the run with a 3-pointer that put Regina up 53-42 with 2:31 left in the third quarter.

“We wanted to get the ball up the court and run,” Clark said. “We were able to get a lead and stayed confident throughout the game and finish it off.”

West Liberty got as close as three at 55-52 but Squiers scored on a putback and Clark scored in the paint to push the lead back to 59-52.

West Liberty would get no closer than five points the rest of the game.

“Squiers definitely knocked down some big shots and it’s hard to guard all five of them when they have other girls step up,” West Liberty coach and City High graduate Courtney Joens said. “The credit goes to them.”

Morgan Miller had 13 points and Ella McLaughlin had 12 points for Regina which enters 2023 riding an eight-game winning streak.

“It’s definitely been a fast start to the season with all the games that we’ve played but I think that’s help us come together as a team,” Clark said. “I think we are playing as a cohesive group.”

Finley Hall had 14 points and Pearson Hall had seven for West Liberty which dropped to 4-3 and 3-1 in RVC South Division games.

Regina                        15  22  18  13  –  68

West Liberty             21  16  11  13  –  61

Regina (68) – Alli Clark 8-10 2-4 19, Grace Gaarde 2-5 1-1 5, Dani Laughlin 0-3 1-2 1, Ella McLaughlin 5-8 1-2 12, Caitlin Martin 0-1 0-0 0, Morgan Miller 6-7 1-1 13, Morgan Squiers 7-10 0-0 18, Madelyn Greve 0-1 0-0 0, Totals 28-45 6-10 61.

West Liberty (61) – Sophie Buysse 1-6 1-2 3, Monica Morales 2-4 0-1 5, Finley Hall 5-12 3-4 14, Pearson Hall 3-7 1-3 7, Kelsey Joens 13-27 4-5 32, Totals 24-56 9-15 61.

3-point field goals – ICR 6-17 (Clark 1-2, Gaarde 0-2, Laughlin 0-3, McLaughlin 1-3, Martin 0-1, Squiers 4-6), WL 4-24 (Buysse 0-4, Morales 1-3, F. Hall 1-4, P. Hall 0-1, Joens 2-12). Rebounds – ICR 29 (Gaarde 8), WL 28 (Joens 9). Turnovers – ICR 17, WL 11. Total fouls – ICR 14, WL 14. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.

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