3-POINT LAUNCH — Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther guard Keira Benck (3) elevates and fires a 3-point jumper over Martin County West forward Ella Carlson during Valley Conference basketball action Saturday night in Trimont. Benck went on to score 19 points to guide the Jaguars to a win over the Mavericks. (Photo by Greg Abel)

TRIMONT — “We haven’t shot too well in this gym in the past, but tonight we probably played one of our best overall games,” said Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther head girls basketball coach T.J. Pytleski.

Keira Benck drilled a game-best five 3-pointers en route to a game-best 19 points, McKenna Benck neared rare triple-double territory and Olivia Mattson delivered a double-double performance to help the Jaguars double up the Martin County West Mavericks, 66-33, Saturday night in Trimont.

Keira Benck triggered the Jaguars’ game-opening 7-0 run before Ella Carlson ended the Mavericks’ early offensive drought with a putback basket at the 15-minute mark.

McKenna Benck — who produced 13 points, nine rebounds and three steals — distributed two of her game-best seven assists to set up Madisen Lewis’ baseline leaner and another Keira Benck trey to highlight another 7-0 Jaguars’ surge.

Ironically, Ella Carlson tossed in two more of her 10 points on the game for MCW only to watch as Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther assembled a jaw-dropping 22-2 offensive avalanche to nearly close out the first half.

The Benck sisters combined to account for a dozen of the purple-and-white’s tidal wave of points en route to a 36-6 edge with 30 seconds remaining before intermission.

After a pair of Lewis free throws, Keira Benck snapped the Trimont nets on a pair of 3s, McKenna Benck made three free throws after being fouled on a trifecta attempt and chipped in a 3, while Mattson tossed in a runner.

Emily Anderson, who approached a rare triple-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds and seven blocked shots, connected for her first three points on just her third field-goal attempt with 15 seconds to go in the opening half to inch MCW within 36-9.

“We started out in a box-and-one on Emily (Anderson) and tried to trap her with our guards at the top of the key,” said Pytleski, whose ball-hawking defense limited MCW to 17 percent field-goal shooting (4 of 23) during the first 18 minutes of the game. “She’s a great player and we didn’t want her to go for 25 or 30 (points) on us, so we tried to keep the basketball out of her hands as much as possible and rotated different defenders at her at all times.”

Mattson — who generated stellar all-around numbers of 12 points, 11 rebounds, five steals and four assists — converted assists from McKenna Benck and Lewis, respectively, to nail 15-foot jumpers to open a 40-9 lead during the early stages of the second half.

Emily Anderson and Ella Carlson combined for 14 of the Mavericks’ 24 second-half points to prevent the Jaguars from creating running time — a 35-point lead — until the final minute of regulation.

Londyn Bowers and Brianna Petrowiak contributed seven and five points, respectively, off the Jaguars’ bench, Bethany Petrowiak supplied six points, while Lewis finished with four points.

Ella Carlson grabbed six boards to complement her 10-point outing, while Avery Sanders doled out three assists for the Mavericks.

“We’ve got three more tough games to close out the regular season, so hopefully that stretch will get us ready for the upcoming (sectional) playoffs,” said Pytleski, whose lineup went a perfect 9 of 9 at the free throw line during the opening half and hit 44 percent from the field — 11 of 25 — to pace its 27-point lead at the break.

Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther (18-4) travels to Windom on Thursday night for a nonconference game.

GTML         36-30–66

MCW             9-24–33

GHECTML (66)

Mattson 5-12 2-3 12, Beth. Petrowiak 3-4 0-0 6, Lewis 1-5 2-2 4, K. Benck 7-13 0-0 19, M. Benck 3-11 5-5 13, Bowers 2-5 3-4 7, Bri. Petrowiak 2-4 1-4 5, Geistfeld 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 23-57 13-18 66.

MCW (33)

E. Anderson 4-10 0-0 11, C. Anderson 1-4 0-0 3, E. Carlson 5-17 0-0 10, Schettler 1-7 0-2 2, Sanders 0-2 1-2 1, M. Carlson 2-10 0-0 4, Olson 0-1 0-0 0, Wohlhuter 1-3 0-0 2, Rosenberg 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 14-56 1-4 33.

3-pointers: GHEC/Truman/Martin Luther 7-20 (K. Benck 5, M. Benck 2); Martin Co. West 4-8 (E. Anderson 3, C. Anderson). Fouled out: None. Rebounds: GHECTML 32 (Mattson 11, M. Benck 9); MCW 32 (E. Anderson 11). Assists: GHECTML 15 (M. Benck 7); MCW 5 (Sanders 3). Steals: GHECTML 16 (Mattson and K. Benck 5); MCW 7 (E. Anderson 4). Blocked shots: E. Anderson 7.