Girls basketball

Van-Far leans on post in 58-49 win vs Wright City

For most of the season, the Van-Far girls have relied on senior and leading scorer Mara Jensen for offense.

Van-Far girls, boys vs Wright City Photo Gallery

The Lady Indians comfortably could rely on two post players as McKenna Engh-Hoffman led with 26 points, 12 rebounds and three steals and Jensen had 20 points and 14 rebounds in a 58-49 victory Monday at home against Eastern Missouri Conference for Wright City.

Van-Far (6-18, 2-7 EMO) built a 50-27 lead at one point in the fourth quarter after a Katelyn Sutton 3-pointer — her second of the game to finish with six points. Head coach Heather Minter said it all started in the post as Jensen and Engh-Hoffman displayed great interior passing to each other to keep the Lady Wildcats guessing.

“If they are focusing on Mara, McKenna’s just got to be able to step up and just play well,” Minter said. “McKenna played like I know she’s capable of playing.”

Engh-Hoffman said Minter has yelled at her throughout the season, which she appreciates because it shows how much belief Minter has in the junior and ultimately helps her have performances like on Monday.

“My coach pushes me every single game — no matter how well I do, I get yelled at — just because she sees what I cannot see,” Engh-Hoffman said.

Van-Far plays its regular season finale at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Eastern Missouri Conference foe Clopton.

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Boys basketball

Van-Far spreads points in 57-35 win vs Wright City

The Van-Far boys don’t care right now who scores, just that they are wearing an Indians uniform.

The Indians won their fifth straight game after s 57-35 victory Monday at home against Eastern Missouri Conference foe Wright City, finishing with five players at or close to double-figures scoring. Van-Far pushed its lead to as big as 32 points and played with a running clock in the fourth quarter.

Van-Far head coach Pat Connaway said his team “sealed the game” in the first minute and a half of the second quarter after a slow start in the first eight minutes, leading 7-4. The Indians (15-10, 5-4 EMO) built a 27-8 halftime lead as they started to distribute the ball around.

“Being able to win the second quarter 20-4 basically put the thing away,” Connaway said. “The ball movement is getting better and the confidence of knocking shots down is opening things up.”

Carter Jennings led Van-Far with 15 points, seven rebounds, two 3-pointers and a block, Nikos Connaway followed with 12 points, eight rebounds and four steals, Cody Smith finished with nine points and four steals, Pacey Reading had nine points, and Gage Gibson had eight points and two 3-pointers.

In each of the Indians’ two games before Wright City (3-15, 1-7 EMO), they had four or five players in double figures in an 80-46 win at Missouri Military Academy and a 73-42 win at home against Wellsville-Middletown. 

Nikos Connaway is Van-Far’s leading scorer as he is averaging 19.8 points per game. Connaway is also the leading facilitator with 3.8 assists per game, but the Indians are averaging 11 assists as a team. 

“When we share the ball, we make it a lot easier for everyone,” Connaway said. “We get open looks, feed the post and then kick out. Our shots are more likely to go in.”

Van-Far plays its regular season finale at 7 p.m. Thursday at Eastern Missouri Conference foe Clopton.

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Look for the full stories in the Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023, edition of the Mexico Ledger.