VEGAS INVITATIONAL: Armstrong leads Rattlers by Clark in third-place game

Mojave’s Charleea Armstrong methodically ran down the clock and drained a deep 3-pointer right before the halftime buzzer Tuesday night.

Turns out, the shot was just a prelude for the Rattlers’ senior.

Armstrong scored 14 of her 25 points in the second half to lead Mojave by Clark, 55-29, in the third-place game of the Vegas Invitational at Mountain View.

Armstrong added seven rebounds and five steals for the Rattlers, who outscored the Chargers 34-10 in the last two quarters.

After falling behind 9-0 in the opening minutes of the game, Mojave rode the veteran experience of seniors Armstrong and RayEna Rael the rest of the way to take control.

Armstrong’s 3-pointer turned out to be the momentum swing the Rattlers were looking for.

Mojave, which led 21-19 at halftime, would not be threatened again despite a 23-point effort from Clark’s Bobbi Floyd.

After scoring 16 points in the first half, Floyd was limited to seven points the remaining two quarters because of a stingy Rattlers defense.

Rael finished with 10 points, five steals and three assists for Mojave (5-3).

Floyd also had nine rebounds, five steals and four blocks for the Chargers (3-7).

Rael and Armstrong both were named to the all-tournament team along with Eldorado’s Deasia Walker, Bonanza’s Alyssa Powers, Sarrah Gurrola of El Rancho (Calif.) and tournament Most Valuable Player Tamera Trigg of Arroyo Valley (Calif.).

Arroyo Valley defeated El Rancho, 62-56 in the title game.

El Rancho (Calif.) 72, Clark 35 — Gurrola scored 16 of her 24 points in the second half to help the Dons pull away from the Chargers in a semifinal.

Crystal Rodriguez added 17 points for El Rancho.

Floyd paced Clark with 23 points.

Sunrise Mountain 44, River Valley (Ariz.) 38 — Ayla Diaz scored 16 points to help the Miners rally by the Dust Devils.

Diaz’s transition layup in the final minute of the third quarter gave Sunrise Mountain its first lead of the game at 26-25, and the Miners never trailed again. Tyrah Lee added nine points for Sunrise Mountain.

Baylee Butcher had 13 points, and Rosalynn Ulch scored 12 for River Valley.

Western 65, Sierra Lutheran 21 — Destiny Gonzalez poured in 28 points to lift the Warriors by the Falcons.

Capricia Pierce added 16 points, and Topaz Beard scored 10 for Western, which led 30-8 at the half.

Cali Benton had seven points for Sierra Lutheran.

Bonanza 57, Rock Academy (Calif.) 16 — Powers scored 14 points to help the Bengals down the Warriors.

Brooklyn Savage and Alexis Harris each added eight points for Bonanza, which outscored Rock Academy, 30-2 in the second half.

Mountain View 43, Rock Academy 36 (Calif.) — Kiley Murphy scored 11 of her 16 points in the second half to rally the Saints by the Warriors.

Rose Adkins added 12 points for Mountain View, which trailed 19-18 at halftime before outscoring Rock Academy, 25-17 in the last two quarters.

Anya Nordling led Rock Academy with 11 points.

Bonanza 52, Eldorado 44 — Powers had a game-high 23 points, including 14 in the first half, to power the Bengals past the Sundevils.

Stephanie Camarolinga and Harris each scored eight points for Bonanza, which led 31-15 at halftime.

Walker had 22 points, and Daria Lomasney scored 12 for Eldorado.