GIBRALTAR — A pair of Downriver League girls basketball teams hooked up on the hardwood for a second time this season on Friday night when Allen Park traveled south to take on Gibraltar Carlson.
The matchup was the first of a varsity basketball doubleheader between the two schools on Friday with the boys hoops edition taking place afterwards.Both teams came into their rematch hoping to extend win streaks. Allen Park was fresh of back-to-back wins — their first time doing so all season — while Carlson was looking to make it four wins in a row overall.
Similar to their first go-round back in early December, Friday was another low-scoring affair between the two clubs. It was, however, the same result with the Marauders of Carlson grinding out a 36-25 win over the visiting Jags of Allen Park.
Carlson has now won four straight meetings and five of the last six with Allen Park going back to the start of the 2023-24 season. And albeit one of their lower scoring outputs in any game this season, the Marauders put together a big enough one-sided stretch to distance themselves from the Jags.
Offense was hard to come by for both sides early on in Friday’s contest as 10 combined points were scored in the first quarter. It was ultimately the second, though, where the hosts asserted themselves the most, specifically in the form a 15-6 advantage to take a 21-10 lead going into halftime.
The outside shot was the biggest weapon for Carlson in that second quarter as 12 of their 15 points in the frame came on four made three-pointers. The Marauders as a team finished with seven made triples on the night.
Allen Park put together a much-improved effort as the game progressed, outscoring Carlson by four after halftime including a 10-4 stretch in the fourth quarter alone. The early double-digit deficit, however, proved to be too much to overcome for the Jags by night’s end.
Carlson had no players reach double-figures in scoring in the win, however their depth was on full display as they had eight different scorers.
Leading the way for the Marauders was Addison Burgei with eight points. The freshman was responsible for two of the team’s made three-pointers. The hosts elsewhere got six points each from sophomore Jillian Farago, senior Addison Wallace, and junior Mia Jackson.
Allen Park meanwhile got another strong effort from point guard Gigi Tavarez. The sophomore led all scorers in the contest with 15 points, 11 of which came on 13 trips to the free throw line. The Jags also saw senior Mallory Hool chip in with five second-half points.
UP NEXT
Carlson (10-4, 7-1 DRL) will continue conference play when they take the floor again next Tuesday, Feb 3 at home vs Wyandotte Roosevelt. It’ll be another chance at a season series sweep for the Marauders after they defeated the Bears, 55-41, in the first meeting back on Dec 16.
Allen Park (4-9, 4-5 DRL) will briefly step out of conference when they travel to Dearborn Heights Crestwood on Feb 4. The Jags will then return home and host league foe Lincoln Park on Feb 6.
Photo gallery of Allen Park vs Gibraltar Carlson in a Downriver League girls hoops battle
