Lady Highlanders JV take Mickey Forrester Classic
Published 12:25 am Friday, January 3, 2020
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Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Lady 'Lander Kaylen Fields eyes the mark as she prepares to fire up a free throw in Cloudland's win over Gate City Tuesday evening.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Lady Highlander Ella Benfield goes up for a tough shot under the goal against Gate City Tuesday evening.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Cloudland's Leah Birchfield launches a shot over the Gate City defender in the Lady 'Landers win Tuesday evening.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Lady Highlander Ambrien Blair goes to the basket for a layup.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Cloudland's Karah Fields goes up for a bucket over a Gate City defender.
BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com
BLUFF CITY – The Cloudland JV Lady Highlanders made it a Carter County sweep in the 12th Annual Mickey Forrester Basketball Classic being played in the Dyer Dome at Sullivan East High School on Tuesday.
The Gate City JV Lady Devils soon found out quickly what Cloudland Lady ‘Lander basketball was about as Cloudland employed a choking full-court press to force numerous turnovers that led to easy baskets as Cloudland cruised to the 47-28 final in the championship tilt.
Cloudland came out and built a 21-11 lead after the first 16 minutes of play and never looked back in taking the victory.
Taylor Hicks and Kaylen Fields showed the way in the first half for Cloudland as the pair knocked down five points each to help the ladies from Roan Mountain build their lead.
Ella Benfield contributed with four points from the paint in the half while Ambrien Blair, Leah Birchfield, and Karah Fields recorded a deuce apiece.
The second half was much the same for Cloudland as the Lady Highlanders continued to apply their press that started to frustrate the Lady Blue Devils heavily in the final half.
Meanwhile, Cloudland continued to score at will outgunning Gate City 26-17 in the final 16 minutes to win going away down the stretch.
Kaylen Fields finished with 11 points to lead the Lady ‘Landers in scoring. Hicks and Leah Birchfield each netted eight points each in a contributing role.
Benfield finished the contest with six points with Heaven Caraway and Blair logging four points each.
Kendall Birchfield (2), Madi Gibbs (2), and Karah Fields (2) balanced out the scoring ledger for the Lady Highlanders.
Gate City’s Makayla Bays scored 13 of the Lady Blue Devils 28 points in the contest in a losing cause. Addie Gibson totaled six for Gate City while Piper Lane knocked down a three-ball for the Lady Blue Devils.
Cloudland will return to their conference slate starting the new year on January 7th when the Lady Highlanders will make the trek off the mountain for a visit to Stoney Creek to take on the Unaka JV Lady Rangers in Snavely Gym.
