By Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter, nbrockman@the-messenger.com
Each basketball season coaches aim to have their team playing at its best heading into the final week of the schedule and the Madisonville-North Hopkins girls basketball team proved the Lady Maroons are in prime shape on Monday night.
Coach John Paul Cummings' Lady Maroons (13-8) overcame some early first-half struggles on Monday to defeat one of Region 3's top teams in Hancock County (16-7) by a score of 49-33.
North held just a five-point lead at halftime, but much like the team's victory against Hopkins County Central on Saturday, the separation came during the second half.
Cummings credited the Lady Maroons' recent success to extra time together during the past few weeks.
"This ice storm has been a blessing from God for us because we got to get in the gym and practice on our weaknesses," he said. "I think it's shown with our execution against Central down the stretch and our execution tonight down the stretch, we're just getting comfortable running our sets and seeing the angles."
The Lady Hornets boasted three players averaging in double digits entering the matchup, but North's defenders stepped up to limit Hancock's offensive firepower.
While the Lady Maroons limited Hancock to 18 first-half points, North forwards KeKe Drake and Tayla Foster carried the load inside.
Coach John Paul Cummings' Lady Maroons (13-8) overcame some early first-half struggles on Monday to defeat one of Region 3's top teams in Hancock County (16-7) by a score of 49-33.
North held just a five-point lead at halftime, but much like the team's victory against Hopkins County Central on Saturday, the separation came during the second half.
Cummings credited the Lady Maroons' recent success to extra time together during the past few weeks.
"This ice storm has been a blessing from God for us because we got to get in the gym and practice on our weaknesses," he said. "I think it's shown with our execution against Central down the stretch and our execution tonight down the stretch, we're just getting comfortable running our sets and seeing the angles."
The Lady Hornets boasted three players averaging in double digits entering the matchup, but North's defenders stepped up to limit Hancock's offensive firepower.
While the Lady Maroons limited Hancock to 18 first-half points, North forwards KeKe Drake and Tayla Foster carried the load inside.
"We wanted to go into the post early," Cummings said. "We felt like the last few games we've been trying to do that late, so we're trying to do that early and I thought the kids did a super job of executing."
The duo of Drake and Foster combined to score North's first 12 points and accumulated all but three during the first half of play. Junior Lyndi Tedder accounted for the other three points.
Down 10-6 late in the first quarter, the Lady Maroons made their first big run of the game by outscoring the Lady Hornets 11-0 over the next 5:47.
Defense took the spotlight in the second half though as North expanded its lead. Hancock converted on just one field-goal attempt during the third quarter.
By the start of the final quarter, the Lady Maroons had nearly doubled-up the opposition at 39-20.
After scoring 14 points in the first quarter, Lady Hornet Carli Mosby quieted down with just five in the second half. Mosby represented Hancock as the team's lone double-digit scorer.
For North, Drake and Foster finished with 20 and 18 points respectively while Tedder also reached double figures with 10.
Now, with his team performing at its best, Cummings said he and the girls are more than ready for next week's district tournament.
"This is what it is about in the state of Kentucky," he said. "Playing in February and March is what it's all about."
The Lady Maroons play next at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday at Russellville in the squad's final regular season game.
HCHS (16-7) 10 8 2 13 - 33
MNHHS (13-8) 10 13 16 10 - 49
HCHS: Carli Mosby 19, Hillary Jones 7, Taylor Wroe 4, Tanisha Johnson 2, Jaclyn Long 1
MNHHS: KeKe Drake 20, Tayla Foster 18, Lyndi Tedder 10, Mikuel Harris 1
The duo of Drake and Foster combined to score North's first 12 points and accumulated all but three during the first half of play. Junior Lyndi Tedder accounted for the other three points.
Down 10-6 late in the first quarter, the Lady Maroons made their first big run of the game by outscoring the Lady Hornets 11-0 over the next 5:47.
Defense took the spotlight in the second half though as North expanded its lead. Hancock converted on just one field-goal attempt during the third quarter.
By the start of the final quarter, the Lady Maroons had nearly doubled-up the opposition at 39-20.
After scoring 14 points in the first quarter, Lady Hornet Carli Mosby quieted down with just five in the second half. Mosby represented Hancock as the team's lone double-digit scorer.
For North, Drake and Foster finished with 20 and 18 points respectively while Tedder also reached double figures with 10.
Now, with his team performing at its best, Cummings said he and the girls are more than ready for next week's district tournament.
"This is what it is about in the state of Kentucky," he said. "Playing in February and March is what it's all about."
The Lady Maroons play next at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday at Russellville in the squad's final regular season game.
HCHS (16-7) 10 8 2 13 - 33
MNHHS (13-8) 10 13 16 10 - 49
HCHS: Carli Mosby 19, Hillary Jones 7, Taylor Wroe 4, Tanisha Johnson 2, Jaclyn Long 1
MNHHS: KeKe Drake 20, Tayla Foster 18, Lyndi Tedder 10, Mikuel Harris 1
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