She is actually 6-feet tall. Draper just plays like she’s 6-10.

So does fellow forward Anna Easton (6-1) and that interior tandem fanned the flames which carried Hughesville to another title. Draper and Easton combined for 16 points, 19 rebounds, six assists and 10 steals as Hughesville three-peated as tournament champions, defeating Wyalusing, 64-27.

“We definitely know we’re not the biggest bigs. We’re faster post players. Our conditioning definitely helps us,” Draper said after going for seven points, 12 rebounds and five steals. “We definitely feed off each other.”

They sure do. Every Spartan again did their part with tournament MVP Maddie Smith scoring 18 points, all-tournament selection Allyssa King and Kendall Hamm both dealing four assists and Kylie Temple and Tori Morgan shining off the bench.

GERI SCHNURE/Special to the Sun-Gazette Hughesville's Maddie Smith drives to the basket during Tuesday's game.

Still, much like it was against Central Mountain eight nights earlier, Easton and Draper helped set the tone with their relentless all-around play in the first quarter–and from then on, too. Easton scored seven first quarter points and grabbed four rebounds, while helping Hughesville take an 18-5 lead.

Draper heated up in the second quarter and by halftime Hughesville led 33-14 as the post duo totaled 11 points, 13 rebounds, five steals and three assists. Each also made steals which they converted into layups during the second half, Easton going coast-to-coast before finishing with a left-handed scoop shot. Easton helped cap an 18-3 game-opening spurt when she threaded a pass to Smith for an inside score before turning an offensive rebound into a free throw.

“Boxing out is our main thing. I think we’re doing pretty good there,” Easton said. “I was on a roll. I was happy. It was fun helping the team.”

Easton and Draper constantly do that whether it shows up in the box score or not. So often it’s not the points they score, but the points they create which mean so much.

Each player ferociously competes, a Hughesville trademark, and they pounded the offensive glass, while being consistent defensive disruptors. Both players made five steals, they combined for three blocks, and they altered many more shots, while also deflecting passes, diving around the floor and providing a thunder bolt of energy.

GERI SCHNURE/Special to the Sun-Gazette Hughesville's Anna Easton tries to grab a rebound during Tuesday's game.

That jolt consistently created second and third-chance scoring opportunities and Hughesville held a 2-1 advantage on the boards.

“They do so many things that people don’t see or talk about. They both do a lot of dirty work; they both block shots, they get rebounds and are on the floor as much as anyone else,” Hughesville coach Dustin King said. “Their interior passing is really good. They have excelled in that area this year so much. They do a ton of stuff for us. It creates everything.”

That was never more evident than in the third quarter when Hughesville put the game away and imposed the mercy rule on a Temple 3-pointer less than five minutes in.

An Easton steal led to Hamm finding Smith for a 3-pointer. A diving Draper steal in the backcourt set up a King 3-pointer and an Easton steal and assist to Smith made it, 45-16. Without scoring, Hughesville’s bigs showed how big their contributions are, setting up eight points in less than a minute.

“That’s the thing about us. If we’re not scoring, we’re rebounding,” Draper said. “That’s a great part about what we do.”

GERI SCHNURE/Special to the Sun-Gazette Hughesville's Kylie Temple defends during Tuesday's game.

“They’re doing the small stuff that nobody sees. They get us going and play really good defense, too. Everything they do helps us out,” Dustin King said. “The chemistry they have in there really helps us get going sometimes.”

That connection is such that each could finish the other’s sentences during a post-game interview. Both dealt three assists and that interior passing helps create opportunities for the guards and vice-versa. Collectively, Hughesville generated 16 assists and four players had at least three.

Combine that with a stifling defense that forced 27 turnovers, and Hughesville possessed a potent blend against a rising team which pushed it hard throughout the first half 16 days ago.

“No one is selfish at all. We’re always looking for that extra pass,” Easton said. “Points and rebounds are pretty spread out, and the stats are spread out really well.”

That has been the case in all eight games as production keeps coming from everywhere. Every player in the main rotation has scored at least nine points in a game and every Spartan who dressed grabbed at least one rebound against Wyalusing.

Whether scoring or not, Hughesville players continue impacting the game in a lot of positive ways. That includes Smith making four steals and adding seven rebounds. It includes Temple, Morgan and Casey Schultz producing 14 points and nine rebounds off the bench, as well as King and Hamm each making three steals.

“The spark comes from everyone,” Draper said. “It’s crazy. There is such a good connection between everybody.”

Wyalusing cut a 20-point deficit to 15 late in the second quarter, but Hughesville closed strong as King found Hamm for a 3-pointer and Draper turned an offensive rebound into a last-second free throw which made it, 33-14. The Spartans then landed the knockout blow, opening the third quarter on a 15-2 run.

“They’re always looking to make the extra pass. Tonight, they spread out the ball really well and got good looks,” Dustin King said. “The way they’re passing the ball, they’re a tough team because there are always five kids on the court who can score.”

Milton took the third-place game, defeating Selinsgrove, 52-29 as all-tournament selection Carrie King scored 16 points and produced five assists. Liz Shrock produced a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) and Hayden Snyder scored a career-high 13 points.

Both Milton and Hughesville open their league season next and the Spartans head to Southern Columbia Friday.

“The team is coming together,” Easton said. “We started out strong and we’re going to try and get stronger throughout the season.”

Championship

Hughesville 64, Wyalusing 27

WYALUSING (27)

Jena Morningstar 4 0-2 8, Alysha Botts 3 3-4 10, Treanna Nickeson 0 2-2 2, Liz Kilmer 1 0-0 3, Emily Johns 1 0-4 2, Brinley Sterling 1 0-0 2. Totals 10 5-12 27.

HUGHESVILLE (64)

Maddie Smith 8 0-0 18, Kendall Hamm 2 1-1 6, Vivian Draper 2 3-6 7, Allyssa King 3 0-0 6, Kylie Temple 2 0-0 5, Anna Easton 4 1-3 9, Tori Morgan 3 2-4 2-4 9, Casey Schultz 2 0-0 4. Totals 26 7-15 64.

Wyalusing 5 9 4 9–27

Hughesville 18 15 17 14–64

3-pointers: Wyalusing 2 (Botts, Kilmer); Hughesville 5 (Smith 2, Hamm, Temple, Morgan).

Records: Hughesville 7-1.

Consolation

Milton 52, Selinsgrove 29

MILTON (52)

Carrie King 5 3-6 16, Liz Schrock 4 4-8 12, Hayden Snyder 6 1-2 13, Lainey Snyder 0 0-0 0, Jaslene Holder 0 0-0 0, Camryn Hoover 4 0-0 8, Sienna Short 0 1-2 1, Joelle Hoover 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 9-18 52.

SELINSGROVE (29)

Grace Morrone 5 1-1 11, Lake Dent 0 0-0 0, Maddy Benner 1 0-0 2, Sabrina Presgraves 3 0-0 7, Madi Merrell 4 0-0 9. Totals 13 1-1 29.

Milton 14 15 11 12–52

Selinsgrove 9 6 7 7–29

3-pointers: Milton 3 (King 3); Selinsgrove 2 (Presgraves, Merrell).

Records: Milton 4-5.