ROCK FALLS – Kara Nehrkorn did not start. That didn’t stop her from being the most influential player in the game.

The Rock Falls junior poured in a game-high 15 points, nine on three 3-pointers in the second quarter, to shoot the Rockets past Sterling 44-39 on the final night of the Sauk Valley Shootout on Saturday at Tabor Gym.

“That is the best game I’ve played so far this season,” Nehrkorn said. “They were playing help defense, so when the ball was on the other side of the court, there wasn’t anybody close to me. We just skipped it, and I was wide open.”