By KLINT SPILLER
The Hays Daily News
VICTORIA -- After watching Victoria senior Lindsey McAlonan fall on her back as she failed to elicit a charge, and watching her lay on the court clutching her head, Victoria prep girls' basketball coach Bob Leikam said enough was enough.
As Leikam walked back to the bench after attending to McAlonan, he said he told one of the referees, "you're letting this ... game get out of control. Some kid is going to get hurt."
His comment was immediately followed by a technical foul. With his team down by only five points, the technical sent Macksville junior guard Yasnaya Sussooff to the foul line and gave Macksville the ball following the free throws.
After a made free throw and 3-pointer by Sussooff, Victoria found was down nine points with 1:56 remaining in the fourth quarter, ending the Knights' hopes for a comeback.
Leikam's frustration culminated in a 53-43 loss on Friday against Macksville (7-9).
"I've coached basketball here for 26 or 27 years, and I don't get technical fouls," Leikam said. "I don't remember the last time I had a technical foul. I just will not let people beat up on my kids.
"I was not just concerned with our kids. I was concerned with their kids, because if you let a kid get hurt because you let a game get out of control, that does no one any good."
Victoria led the game in the first quarter 12-6 but allowed Macksville to come back, pushing ahead 22-21 at halftime and earning as much as an 11-point lead in the third quarter.
"One thing I have to say about these kids is that they fight," Leikam said. "They are the scrappiest bunch I've ever seen. We just don't get very many breaks.
"We will go out and play like crazy in the first half. Then we will have a little bit of a lull right there in the third or fourth quarter."
Senior forward Kendra Karlin led the Knights with a double-double as she accumulated 21 points and 11 rebounds.
"Kendra always plays really hard. She is the closest thing I have to a post even though she is only 5-7," Leikam said. "She is a good leader on the floor, and she is one of those players we try to always have on the floor."
Junior guard Andre Dome added eight points, and senior forward Corinna Gagnon grabbed eight rebounds.
Macksville was led in scoring by Susooff and freshman forward Megan Wood with 21 and 19 points, respectively.
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