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Sanders’ late surge helps power GMG to win over Tripoli

GMG senior point guard Macie Sanders is congratulated with a fist bump by her coaches, Melisa Dieleman and Tammy Woodbury, as she comes off the court after sinking a late-game 3-pointer against Tripoli on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Garwin. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
GMG senior point guard Macie Sanders, second from right, is congratulated by her teammate Taelyn Sash as she comes off the court during a late game time-out after sinking a 3-pointer against Tripoli on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Garwin. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
GMG senior point guard Macie Sanders looks to make a pass against Tripoli’s Ameliya Mehmen-Reeves. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
In the chaos of a loose ball, GMG freshman Taelyn Sash (center, left) scrambles for possession against Panthers senior Molly Cheever on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Garwin. Against Tripoli, Sash helped lead the Wolverines with nine points, while outright leading in steals (3) and blocks (1). PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
Wolverine sophomore Arianna Pierce (40) works to block a shot by Tripoli’s Addyson Greenwald on Jan. 29, 2026, in Garwin. Pierce led the GMG defense that evening with six rebounds. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
Wolverine freshman Taelyn Sash (center) pulls up short while on a breakaway run against Tripoli on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Garwin. After passing the ball, Sash rebounded her teammate’s missed shot attempt before sinking the field goal herself. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER
PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

GARWIN — The GMG girls’ basketball team fought off Tripoli for a 37-32 victory in the Thursday, Jan. 29 Iowa Star Conference cross-division contest.

The Wolverines (8-8) shot just 9-of-25 at the free-throw line but still sent the visiting Panthers (7-10) away empty-handed following a surge in the fourth quarter which saw senior point guard Macie Sanders sink a field goal and a 3-pointer in quick succession to pull GMG ahead, 31-27. For good measure, she later sank one more 3-pointer with less than a minute remaining on the clock.

Sanders and Taelyn Sash (off the bench) both scored nine points to lead GMG, while Skyler Murty had six points and three assists. Off the bench, Makayla Pendleton pitched in with five points and Addison Elmore with four. Arianna Pierce had two points and a team-leading six rebounds, while Natalie Upah added a bucket off the bench.