Pittsburg girls basketball outscored Parsons 19-4 in the third quarter on the way to a 49-22 win in Southeast Kansas League play Friday night.

The Purple Dragons struggled to score the basketball for most of the second quarter, seeing their 14-4 lead after one quarter turn into an 18-13 advantage with 5.5 seconds remaining before halftime.

McKenzie English buried a 3-point basket from deep at the buzzer and Pittsburg had a more respectable 21-13 halftime advantage.

One could not have told that fact to Pittsburg girls coach Tristan Gegg when she addressed the Dragon players at halftime.

“Yeah, I think that definitely helped our momentum, but I still chewed on them a little bit at halftime,” Gegg said. “I told them that our defense is incredible, it always has been and you guys work your butts off, but we’re so scared on offense, we’re just not scoring the basketball. So, they really honed in and focused on that and just played a little harder. They just focused on finishing at the rim and they did a really good job second half.”

English scored 10 of her 15 points in the first half, including seven in that first quarter, and then it was senior Adessah Reed’s turn to take over in the third quarter. She played with a little fire underneath her and took it out against Parsons on the inside with 12 third-quarter points.

“That’s awesome,” Gegg said. “We had a little chat at halftime, as well. She decided to pick it up and we need that from her from the very start of every game until the very end of the game.”

Reed matched English with 15 points.

Adalee Gober and Angie Miller contributed seven and five points, respectively, as the Dragons built 19 points on their lead in the second half.

The Dragons improved to 12-8 on the season and 6-3 SEK, rebounding successfully from their 44-32 loss last Tuesday against Independence.

“Yes, I never want to play like we did on Tuesday again,” Gegg said. “I told the girls that if I have to coach effort again, none of you are going to play. I would rather take a forfeit than coaching girls that don’t want to play with effort. Tonight, their effort was very good and their defensive effort was incredible.”

Pittsburg returns home Tuesday night and welcomes Chanute (11-7, 4-4 SEK); Pittsburg defeated Chanute 45-32 back on Jan. 9, highlighted by holding the home Blue Comets to no points in the first quarter.

PARSONS (22) — Brynna Cramer 2, Braelyn Hinman-Mitchell 4, Heidi Schultz 5, Ayanna Robertson 11.

PITTSBURG (49) — Adessah Reed 15, Onna Jorge 2, Adalee Gober 7, Sophia Hertrich 2, Laney Trisler 3, Angie Miller 5, McKenzie English 15.

Parsons 4 9 4 5 — 22

Pittsburg 14 7 19 9 — 49

3-point goals: Schultz, English 2, Miller, Trisler.

This sports reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/fund/support-local-journalism-project-fund/