It was another tournament, another title for the Waterloo High School girls basketball team.

The Bulldogs downed Valmeyer, Columbia and Red Bud to claim their second tourney championship of the season on Saturday in the Candy Cane Classic at Gibault.

“We just stuck to the same formula that has brought us success all season,” Waterloo’s first-year head coach Jake Schneider said. “We went into each game with a good plan and the players executed. The goal is always to play to our strengths and try to take away or limit what our opponent does well. Our team was able to remain calm when things weren’t going our way and bounce back with runs of dominant basketball that propelled us to the tournament title. All of the credit goes to these girls as they continue to execute, play hard, and put on a show for whoever comes out to see them each game.”

Following an opening round win last Monday over Valmeyer, the Bulldogs downed Columbia last Wednesday, 50-30.

The game was tied at 4-4 in the early going, but Waterloo went on a 12-0 run courtesy of stingy defense and hustle.

The Eagles played even with the Bulldogs in the second and third quarters, but Waterloo went on a 14-3 run in the fourth quarter to go out in style.

Norah Gum led the ‘Dogs with 27 points and 15 rebounds. Sam Lindhorst added 10 points and six steals.

Taylor Holten led the Eagles with 14 points and 10 rebounds. 

On Saturday, Waterloo defeated Red Bud in the tourney title game, 62-26. The Bulldogs finished with 17 steals and outrebounded Red Bud, 32-12, on the day.

Waterloo outscored Red Bud 38-11 in the second half.

Gum had 20 points, seven rebounds and five steals and Lindhorst added 16 points.

Gum was named tourney MVP and Lindhorst made the all-tourney team.

In addition to Gum and Lindhorst, Schneider praised the efforts of Ellie Schwehr.

“Ellie gives us incredible effort on defense every game and is one of our biggest difference makers,” he said. 

Columbia won third place, taking down Gibault on Saturday, 69-41. Karsen Jany poured in 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Eagles. Jordan and Taylor Holten each scored 12 points.

Kailynne Small finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists to lead the Hawks.

Jany was named to the all-tourney team, as was Small.

Gibault opened its tourney with a 54-42 loss to Red Bud last Tuesday despite 29 points and 12 rebounds from Small.

Valmeyer downed New Athens, 41-40, in tourney action last Wednesday, but dropped a 56-23 contest to Chester to close out tourney play on Saturday. 

Brooke Miller scored 19 points and grabbed 17 rebounds against New Athens. She did not play against Chester.

Kierstin Miller led the Pirates on Saturday with 11 points and 12 rebounds. 

Waterloo (12-3) followed its tourney success with a 42-33 win at Jerseyville on Monday. Gum had 14 points and 11 rebounds. Lindhorst added 11 points.

The Bulldogs (12-3) suffered a 69-43 loss to unbeaten Civic Memorial on Thursday in a non-tourney Mississippi Valley Conference clash. Civic Memorial hit 15 three-pointers in the contest and outrebounded the ‘Dogs, 41-28.

Gum finished with 21 points.

“Civic Memorial has a very strong team and they came out on fire from deep,” Schnieder said of the loss. “We can do a much better job defensively, but tip of the cap to them. We will learn from it and make adjustments to make sure we are ready when we see them again. We still believe we can compete with them and this team won’t concede to anyone.”

Gum leads the Bulldogs in scoring at 17.5 points per game. Lindhorst is averaging nearly 12 points per game.

Waterloo will compete in the Red Bud Tournament that begins Monday and also includes Columbia and Gibault.

Columbia (6-6) won 55-30 at Roxana on Monday. The Eagles shot 60 percent from the floor, led by Jany’s 23 points. 

Jany leads Columbia in scoring at 15.7 points per game, including 40 percent from three-point range.

In non-tourney action on Thursday, Valmeyer (3-7) pulled off a 60-57 overtime win over Steeleville. Brooke Miller scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Kierstin Miller added 11 points and 15 rebounds. 

The Pirates grabbed 60 rebounds in all and made 20 steals.

Brooke Miller leads Valmeyer at 14.6 points and 12 rebounds per game this season.

On Monday, Dupo (7-4) downed Valmeyer – minus Brooke Miller – 53-21. Octavia Heidelberg scored 33 points, grabbed 20 rebounds and blocked five shots for the Tigers.

Gibault (5-7) hosts Wesclin on Wednesday. 

Small leads the Hawks in scoring this season at 21.8 points per game and is averaging 9.3 rebounds and 3.6 steals per contest.