Lady Cyclones nip JCMS Lady Longhorns 30-26
By: Tim Chambers
Tomahawk Sports Editor
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Close, but no cigar.
Johnson Countys bid to knock off T.A. Dugger went up in a puff of smoke on Saturday morning in the Hampton Middle School 7th grade tournament. The Lady Longhorns dropped a 30-26 contest to the Cyclones in a saw-saw battle from the opening tip.
The lead changed hands nine times during the contest with neither team able to pull away. Head coach Kechia Eller thought her team played hard but had trouble matching up with their opponents size.
We played well against a taller team but we couldnt hit those last minute shots, said Eller. I think our emotions got a little high at the end. I think that rebounding probably was the deciding factor. We had a hard time keeping them from getting second and third shots. They scored off several of those.
The Longhorns played exceptionally during the first quarter where a total of 22 points were put on the board.
Abigail Cornett fired in seven and Adrian Hall added four off the bench helping Johnson County to a 13-9 lead after one. Natalie Winters basket with 1:47 showing in the quarter broke a 7-7 deadlock and triggered a 6-2 run.
The second quarter was a totally different story.
Johnson County got a basket by Hall for their only points. The Cyclones managed a three-ball by Kaitlyn Light to close within 15-13 at the half.
The Longhorns battled their tails off in the third to remain in the game.
They used a three-ball by Cornett and a deuce from Taylor Parsons to erase an 18-17 deficit midway during the third quarter.
Cornett bagged a couple of treys but so did Light for the Cyclones. Her three-ball at the buzzer gave Betsy a 26-23 advantage heading into the fourth.
Johnson County didnt shoot well in the final stanza yet Cornett hit a crucial basket to keep them in it.
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