The girls from Avondale Westview were weary winners on Sunday night (June 30) in the Gold Bracket championship game of the 7^th annual Desert Shootout at Glendale Deer Valley.

The Lady Knights defeated Peoria Liberty 33-17 for their second tournament title in the last week. Westview also defeated Scottsdale Saguaro in a bracket title game in the (Phoenix) Thunderbird summer league.

Sunday’s win made up for a 40-37 loss to Liberty in bracket play on Saturday (June 29).

“Defensively, the girls picked it up,’’ said Westview coach Lisa Contreras. “They are tired. They played every day this week, sometimes more than once a day.

“Their shots weren’t falling and their legs were tired, but they hung on. They are going to be able to get some rest now. This was a good win for us. It was a good learning experience.’’

Westview had a 15-0 lead late in the first half and appeared as if it might keep Liberty off the board, but a free throw (free throws count as two points in the tournament) by Tiffany Marino with about 10 seconds to go allowed the Lions to break through.

Liberty played much better in the second half, cutting the lead to 10 points on a couple of occasions, but could get no closer. Ashleigh Vellutato scored six points in the second half.

Courtney Christmas, Liberty’s top player who will be entering her junior season, did not score until 3:26 remained in the game, when she connected on a 3-pointer.

Westview got a couple of key 3-pointers from Marissa Rincon and Renee Contreras in the second half to maintain a comfortable advantage.

Rincon survived a scare earlier in the contest when she crashed to the floor while trying to save a ball along the end line. She was down for a few minutes, then walked very slowly to the bench. A tourney official said it appeared she had an injury to her lower back.

Superlatives

Tournament MVP -- Saylair Grandon, Avondale Westview.

All-Tournament Team -- Madison Kern, Phoenix Arcadia; Haley Villegas, Anthem Boulder Creek; Ashleigh Vellutato, Peoria Liberty; Quynne Huggins, Goodyear Millennium; Leah Janes, Phoenix Christian; Aaliyah Torres, Tolleson; Julia Cordova, Westview; Arianna Barnes, Gilbert Williams Field; Shantelle Crespin, Williams Field.