Wallace always competitive in 2022-23

by Diane Stamm

Grant tribune-sentinel

This year’s Wallace girls basketball season had a close but not quite feel to it. 

Wallace finished the season with a 7-13 record. Averaging out the year, the Wildcats scored 40.25 points, while giving up an average of 44.6.

Head Coach Shawn Sullivan said Wallace was in every game this year and with a turnover here or there or made basket that they missed, the season ends up very different. 

“We were so close to a very different season,” he said.

“I can’t say any one specific game stands out this year but feel every night we stepped out on the court we felt we could win,” Sullivan said.

Karlie Finley was the Wildcats’ only senior this year.

Sullivan said Finley was a leader by example. 

“She always put in the work and never once complained about anything,” Sullivan said, adding the team knew she could be counted on every game to pull down 10-plus rebounds and get her points in the paint. 

Finley averaged 12.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game this year.

With 208 rebounds this season, Finley broke the school’s career rebounding record with 908 total rebounds.

Juniors Kendyl Flaming, Reagan Pelster and Dajana Garrison, as well as sophomore Ashley Robertson and freshmen Kaley Sauser and Eliana Robertson saw action in at least 19 games.

Flaming was second on the team with averages of 7.8 ppg and 6.7 rpg.

Pelster led Wallace with 37 assists. Garrison was second behind Finley with 44 steals.

Sullivan never questioned his team’s effort.

“This group of girls showed up and worked hard everyday and met every challenge and game head on and never backed down and never quit which is all I can ask,” Sullivan said.