Early momentum is a great thing, but once it goes away it is a difficult thing to get back.
The Unaka Lady Rangers started hot, but faded down the stretch as Cloudland rallied for a 54-43 victory on Monday at Bobby Snyder Gymnasium in the district 1A consolation game.
Katlyn Weaver scored eight of Unaka’s 13 first quarter points with a variety of moves in the paint while both Katlyn Burrow and Myah Parlier had two-point buckets. Trinity Vines hit the first basket of the second period for Cloudland (19-11 overall) to cut the Lady Rangers lead to 13-9 with 4:57 left in the first half.
Sarah Tipton had a three-point play to stake Unaka to an 18-9 lead before Vines clicked on two from the line to make it an 18-11 contest with 3:00 remaining. Sydney Markland followed with a layup for the Rangers, but Lisa Ellis hit two from the line for the Lady Highlanders.
Abbey Gouge connected on a trey with two seconds left and Cloudland went into the locker room trailing by just three at 20-17.
Shian Strickland buried a three-ball after a Vines bucket to give Cloudland it’s first lead of the game at 22-20 with 3:26 left in the third period. Lisa Ellis also hit a trey to make it a 25-20 Lady ‘Landers lead.
“We settled down and started making shots in the second half,” Lady ‘Landers head coach Lucas Andrews said. “I told the girls to stop fouling them because they were scoring with the clock stopped. Strickland made sure the ball was in her hands at the end like a good senior leader, and Lisa Ellis is very good at making the defense come out and play her and driving to the basket.”
The Rangers broke the run with a free throw from Weaver but Strickland hit a runner in the lane, and Ericka Potter finished a three-point play to cut the Cloudland lead to 27-24 with under a minute left in the quarter.
Lexi Garland found the range on a three-ball for Unaka (19-13 overall), but Stacia Wilson drew a foul and hot one-of-two from the line. A three-point play by Parlier cut the Cloudland lead to 33-31 with 5:54 showing on the clock.
Weaver got a bucket inside to tie the score but missed her free throw attempt and Vines connected for two, and Johanna Johnson dropped in a trey to give the ‘Landers a 38-33 advantage with 4:02 left. After a free throw from Weaver, Ellis hit a three for Cloudland, but Weaver then dropped in a deuce as the score stood at 41-36 in favor of Cloudland.
A technical foul was assessed to Garland and Strickland connected on both free throws and moments later Strickland completed a three-point play as Cloudland took a 48-39 lead. Strickland connected on nine-of-nine from the line in the fourth period as Cloudland pulled away down the stretch. She finished with 21 points for the ‘Landers.