By Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter nbrockman@the-messenger.com
GREENVILLE - A hot-shooting offense and aggressive defense from Lexington Christian spelled more problems than the Madisonville-North Hopkins girls basketball team could handle on Saturday evening.
The Lady Eagles (12-3) dashed to a 17-0 lead before the Lady Maroons (9-7) tallied their first basket and despite showing flashes of success later in the game, North fell 63-40 in the Lady Star Classic.
"A, they're really good," coach John Paul Cummings said of Lexington Christian after the game. "B, take away the first quarter and I was really proud of our kids.
"You have to give Lexington Christian credit. We're hurt a little bit, but we're coming around. I thought we showed a couple spurts there that we looked like we could play and I thought we did play well in those spurts."
Lexington Christian forced North into committing numerous turnovers in the first half to take a sizable lead and the Lady Eagles' three-point shooting increased the lead even more.
Cummings said the key was Lexington Christian's ability to keep North from building any self-assurance.
"I think it goes back to our confidence," he said. "If we have that, we're pretty good and when we don't the light just goes off. We'll just keep working hard and I think we'll be fine."
The Lady Eagles (12-3) dashed to a 17-0 lead before the Lady Maroons (9-7) tallied their first basket and despite showing flashes of success later in the game, North fell 63-40 in the Lady Star Classic.
"A, they're really good," coach John Paul Cummings said of Lexington Christian after the game. "B, take away the first quarter and I was really proud of our kids.
"You have to give Lexington Christian credit. We're hurt a little bit, but we're coming around. I thought we showed a couple spurts there that we looked like we could play and I thought we did play well in those spurts."
Lexington Christian forced North into committing numerous turnovers in the first half to take a sizable lead and the Lady Eagles' three-point shooting increased the lead even more.
Cummings said the key was Lexington Christian's ability to keep North from building any self-assurance.
"I think it goes back to our confidence," he said. "If we have that, we're pretty good and when we don't the light just goes off. We'll just keep working hard and I think we'll be fine."
At halftime, Lexington Christian made 15-of-29 field goals including four from beyond the arc while North amounted just six made field goals.
"Their defense was good and then they hit some big three-point shots and that took the air out of our sails," Cummings said.
Lady Maroon Tayla Foster converted on back-to-back offensive possessions in the paint to begin the third quarter, taking the feed from point guard Heidi Clayton on the second bucket. At that point, North trailed by 17, but it was the closest the team would come to getting back in the contest.
Lexington Christian's Sarah Beth Barnette and Anna Martin turned up the defensive pressure once again to create consecutive steals and manufacture fastbreak points. During the final minute of the third quarter, Barnette swiped another ball away from the Lady Maroons and gave her team its largest lead of the game, 59-24, to start the fourth quarter.
Despite the deficit, North's players did not quit and outscored Lexington Christian in the last eight minutes.
"That's what we wanted to see," Cummings said about the late rally. "We have a lot of players that are stepping up and I'm real excited about it. Last night, Brittany Elliott came in and tonight I thought she got better. I'm just real proud of our depth that we're starting to develop."
North closed the game on an 11-2 run that spanned the final 5:18.
Sophomore forward KeKe Drake amassed eight points during the streak. Drake continued to battle in the final minute of the game as she worked the baseline, spun and accelerated to the basket for two points.
By game's end, Drake paced her team offensively with 17 points. Foster also reached double-digits with 12.
The Lady Maroons' team total of 40 points marked its lowest output of the season, but Cummings said he's not too worried about his offense heading into Tuesday's meeting with Hopkins County Central.
"Any time you come out and get beat I think it makes you a little hungrier," he said. "If you can't get up for the cross-town rival game, what is there to say? Both teams will be fired up."
LCHS (12-3) 17 19 23 4 - 63
MNHHS (9-7) 2 14 8 16 - 40
LCHS: Courtney Clifton 20, Anna Martin 16, Sarah Beth Barnette 14, Caitlin Dorton 5, Kelli Rhineheart 4, Kristin Jacob 2, Kendall Pennington 2
MNHHS: KeKe Drake 17, Tayla Foster 12, Barrett McCracken 5, Lyndi Tedder 3, Brittany Elliott 2, Mikuel Harris 1
"Their defense was good and then they hit some big three-point shots and that took the air out of our sails," Cummings said.
Lady Maroon Tayla Foster converted on back-to-back offensive possessions in the paint to begin the third quarter, taking the feed from point guard Heidi Clayton on the second bucket. At that point, North trailed by 17, but it was the closest the team would come to getting back in the contest.
Lexington Christian's Sarah Beth Barnette and Anna Martin turned up the defensive pressure once again to create consecutive steals and manufacture fastbreak points. During the final minute of the third quarter, Barnette swiped another ball away from the Lady Maroons and gave her team its largest lead of the game, 59-24, to start the fourth quarter.
Despite the deficit, North's players did not quit and outscored Lexington Christian in the last eight minutes.
"That's what we wanted to see," Cummings said about the late rally. "We have a lot of players that are stepping up and I'm real excited about it. Last night, Brittany Elliott came in and tonight I thought she got better. I'm just real proud of our depth that we're starting to develop."
North closed the game on an 11-2 run that spanned the final 5:18.
Sophomore forward KeKe Drake amassed eight points during the streak. Drake continued to battle in the final minute of the game as she worked the baseline, spun and accelerated to the basket for two points.
By game's end, Drake paced her team offensively with 17 points. Foster also reached double-digits with 12.
The Lady Maroons' team total of 40 points marked its lowest output of the season, but Cummings said he's not too worried about his offense heading into Tuesday's meeting with Hopkins County Central.
"Any time you come out and get beat I think it makes you a little hungrier," he said. "If you can't get up for the cross-town rival game, what is there to say? Both teams will be fired up."
LCHS (12-3) 17 19 23 4 - 63
MNHHS (9-7) 2 14 8 16 - 40
LCHS: Courtney Clifton 20, Anna Martin 16, Sarah Beth Barnette 14, Caitlin Dorton 5, Kelli Rhineheart 4, Kristin Jacob 2, Kendall Pennington 2
MNHHS: KeKe Drake 17, Tayla Foster 12, Barrett McCracken 5, Lyndi Tedder 3, Brittany Elliott 2, Mikuel Harris 1
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