Anna Gorman posted 23 points and helped secure a 56-21 win for Valley Christian High School in Tuesday night’s matchup against North Pointe Prep.

For Gorman, the victory was another opportunity to practice for the upcoming state championship tournament that she and her team hope to take for the second consecutive season.

Last season, Gorman’s performance from the free-throw line helped the Trojans earn the Class 3A state title. With 530 points in her senior campaign, Gorman said she’s dedicated to getting her team as far as possible in the playoffs.

“My goal was just to get our practice in,” Gorman said. “Finding those little details in the game that I can fix up on or just the passes, the turnovers, the shots that I can commit and practice on for the other teams in the state playoff games.”

Gorman’s offensive effort against North Pointe contributed to the Trojans' now six-game win streak and 22-3 record. The VCHS captain fired off two three-pointers in the first quarter, and then peppered in points throughout the remainder of the game.

Even though Gorman averages 22.1 points per game, a number that exceeds all of her teammates, she attributes the win to a team focus on refining the details.

“It’s just a practice process, learning and trying to fix the little things,” Gorman said.

Valley Christian’s aggression also played a key role in the victory, as possession of the ball opened up scoring opportunities and kept North Pointe off the boards.

VCHS head coach Kevin Allen said that the team showed improvement on transitions, adding that multiple turnovers translated into points. This progress was key to maintaining, and expanding, the Trojans’ seven-point lead after the first quarter.

“We created some easy baskets from our defense,” Allen said. “This is probably one of the better games that we’ve done that.”

The defensive effort from the Trojans peaked during the third quarter, in which North Pointe was unable to make any successful shots and Valley Christian added six points to their 19-point lead.

“I thought our defense made some of their shots really difficult,” Allen said.

The last time these 3A teams faced each other on Jan. 12, the Trojans defeated the Falcons by 40 points. However, Allen said he wasn’t prioritizing another big lead.

“I just try to make sure our girls are playing within our skill level and abilities,” Allen said. “Right now, we’re just trying to get better, so that was our focus.”

For North Pointe head coach Ramon Plaza, the positive takeaway from the loss was the effort during the final frame. The Falcons proved they could return from a scoreless third quarter.

Although the passing improved in the final minutes, the Falcons' mistakes leading up to that point made a comeback far out of reach.

“We did what we had to do, but I always say to them if you have your head in the clouds, then you forget and make mistakes,” Plaza said.

The Trojans continue conference play with two road games against Casteel and Pusch Ridge Academy in the upcoming weeks.