No matter if they’re playing a Western Athletic Conference rival or a winless non-conference opponent, an offensive constant for the Dodge City High School girls’ basketball team is senior guard Valerie Ortiz.
Ortiz lit up the DCHS Fieldhouse scoreboard for 20 points in the game’s first three quarters, including 16 in the first half, as the Red Demons throttled winless Maize South 58-30 Tuesday night.
Catching fire from early on, Ortiz scored eight first-quarter points, as the Demons turned this one into a blowout early. They led 17-3 after the end of the period and 33-5 at halftime, turning the game into a rout against the Mavericks (0-9).
“I try to be a leader on the court for the younger girls, I am senior,” Ortiz said, “so I just try to my best and get out there and try to help the team win every game.
“I did (get in a rhythm). I kind of cooled off a little bit, but I definitely felt like what I put up, I was going to make. I’m used to it, and I was ready.”
Ortiz hit seven of her first 12 shots from the floor and finished 9-for-16 on the night. A’zlynn Thompson, a junior post player, added 10 points and eight of Dodge City’s 32 rebounds. Sophomore guard Brenna Briggs finished with eight points, like Ortiz, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers.
Maize South was led by Jody Larson, who had 10 points and added four of its 25 rebounds
During first-half action, Ortiz had a pair of rapid-fire scoring binges, which helped the Demons distance themselves from the Maize South. She opened the game by scoring the game’s first eight points during the opening three minutes for a 10-0 lead.
Ortiz also scored six second-quarter points during a 41-second stretch to stretch Dodge City’s lead to 29-5 and for all practical purposes, served as an early knockout punch to the Mavs.
Dodge City’s defense forced Maize South into 30 turnovers while committing only 12 themselves. Brenna Briggs had seven steals and guard Ashley Stephenson had four steals to lead the Demons.
Dodge shot 26-for-60 from the floor (43.3 percent), while holding Maize South to 36.7 percent (11-for-30).
DODGE CITY —
