Junior point guard Lindsey Simpson put on a show-stopping performance for Knox in a semifinal comeback win Wednesday over Munster.
She followed that up Thursday night, sharing game-high scoring honors with 14 points as the Redskins earned their 10th straight win with a 52-25 romp over host Hanover Central in the championship game of the Wildcat Winter Classic.
Sophomore guard Makayla Richie also scored 14 for Knox (13-3), but Simpson was named the tournament’s MVP.
“It definitely means a lot to me to be the MVP,” Simpson said. “I didn’t think I was actually going to get it.”
The one-two punch supplied by Simpson and Richie sparked Redskins past Hanover Central (6-11). The title was Knox’s second at Hanover in the last six years, after also winning in 2012. The Redskins lost last season in the second round.
“It’s definitely a change from last year, because everybody thought we’d come in and blow it,” Simpson said. “We wanted to come in and prove to everybody what kind of team we are and that we’re really good.”
With Hanover Central trying to contain Simpson and limiting her looks, someone had to step up and lend a helping hand. It turned out to be Richie.
She made a 3-pointer in every quarter but the first and displayed confidence in her shot.
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“I just went out and played my game, but it wasn’t just me, it was the whole team,” Richie said. “Winning the title means a lot. We came in as a team and worked hard together to show everybody what we’re made of.”
Freshman Preston Minix came off the bench to score nine points with a pair of 3-pointers for Knox, which made five of its eight 3-pointers in the second half and increased its 27-11 halftime lead to 49-18 late in the game.
“Our kids sat in the bleachers a year ago and watched the postgame awards and presentation of the team championship trophy,” Knox coach Neill Minix said. “They thought from their experience they had that they could come back here, this year, and get the trophy.
“They said to each other, ‘That will be us next year.'”
Hanover Central coach Luis Roldan walked away pleased with his team’s effort. Amanda Schrieber led the Wildcats with nine points, eight rebounds and blocked three shots.
“I’m very happy with the way we played,” he said. “The score is in no way indicative of what we wanted to accomplish as a team.
“We knew we couldn’t run up and down the court with them, so we just tried to slow it down a little. We felt good at halftime because we had 12 turnovers. We thought, if they’re going to beat us, let them beat us from the outside.”
John O’Malley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.