CHERRY TWP - As individuals, Moniteau's Natalie DeMatteis and Alyssa Deal each had big moments in Friday's game against Karns City.

Collectively, the duo combined for 45 points, but, more importantly, they helped the Warriors defeat the Gremlins 77-58 in a KSAC girls basketball game.

DeMatteis netted a career-high 29 points, including five 3-pointers, while Deal scored her 1,000-career point.

"They complement each other so well," said Moniteau coach Mark Yeager. "Alyssa wouldn't have the success she's had without Natalie."

Deal, a junior, tried not to think about the possible milestone.

"I just like to win," said Deal, whose 16 points gave her 1,000 on the nose. "We just wanted to win the game and beat Karns City."

DeMatteis, a senior, had 13 points in the first half and opened the scoring in the third quarter by hitting a 3-pointer to give Moniteau (14-7, 10-1) a 41-32 lead.

The Gremlins responded with a 7-0 run on a 3-pointer by Haley Callihan and baskets by Brittany Green and Ashley Fuhrer to pull to within two at 41-39.

However, DeMatteis drained consecutive treys and another score and Deal followed with a basket to open a 51-39.

DeMatteis, whose previous best was 28 points against Portersville Christian as a sophomore, had been in a bit of a scoring funk lately, recording just 44 points in her previous eight games with just one game in double figures.

"From the first shot (Friday), I just felt it," said DeMatteis. "I was just so pumped up. It felt good."

"She'd been struggling, but how about those dishes she had?" said Yeager on DeMatteis' crisp passing underneath as well. "That breaks a team's heart, when you drive into their trees and score like she did."

"Deal and DeMatteis play a lot of basketball together," said Karns City coach Chris Bellis. "They can play with a little pressure and they each knocked down some tough shots."

The Gremlins (10-12, 5-7) kept it interesting when they trailed by eight, 53-45, with 7:04 remaining before the Warriors scored eight of the next nine points to take a 61-46 lead with 4:52 left.

That run included Deal's final basket that produced the 1,000th point.

The Warriors also received 10 points from Kristen Baronetski, nine from Jenna Beatty and eight from Amy Gladd.

Karns City got 16 points from Callihan, 12 from Ashley Fuhrer and 11 from Morgan Summerville.

"I thought both teams played hard," said Bellis. "I don't think we had a lack of effort. I saw a Moniteau team finish and a Karns City team that didn't.

"Since we play so many players, it kept us fresh, but there were times we didn't have the ideal matchup on Deal and DeMatteis. They took advantage when we had the mismatches," Bellis added.

KARNS CITY 58

Allyson Kepple 2 1-4 5, Melissa Collier 1 5-6 8, Laura Kepple 0 1-2 1, Brittany Green 2 0-0 4, Haley Callihan 5 2-3 16, Jaime Reott 0 1-2 1, Ashley Fuhrer 6 0-0 12, Morgan Summerville 5 0-0 11, Brianna Markle 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 10-17 58.

MONITEAU 77

Kristen Baronetski 5 0-0 10, Jenna Beatty 4 1-1 9, Amy Gladd 4 0-0 8, Alyssa Deal 7 0-0 16, Natalie DeMatteis 12 0-0 29, Laken Burk 2 0-0 4, Sara Vinca 0 0-0 0, Amanda Gladd 0 0-0 0, Jill Davis 0 0-0 0, Jodie Davis 0 0-0 0, Kenzie Timblin 0 1-2 1. Totals: 34 2-3 77.

3-point goals:

Callihan 4, Collier, Summerville; DeMatteis 5, Deal 2

JV:

Karns City, 40-20

Saturday:

Clarion at Karns City

Friday:

Cranberry at Moniteau; Karns City; Keystone at Karns City