Final two minutes difference as Lady Cyclones fall to D-B
Published 1:02 pm Wednesday, January 3, 2024
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton's Michelle Shields is fouled on her way to the basket.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Marlee Mathena drives hard to the basket while being guarded closely.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Lady Cyclone Kayelyn Nave tries to sandwich between two Lady Indians for a bucket.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Peyton McGee dribbles the basketball up the floor under heavy pressure by a Lady Indian defender.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Lady Cyclone Marlee Mathena works the basketball out beyond the arc.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Peyton McGee works to find an open teammate.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Jamira Smalls pushes the basketball toward the rim in the first half.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Kayelyn Nave pulls the trigger on a trey during Tuesday's game.
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STAR CORRESPONDENT
The Elizabethton Lady Cyclones were looking to get 2024 off on the right foot Tuesday night when the Lady Indians of Dobyns-Bennett came calling to open the new year on the hardwood at John Treadway Gym.
In a game that was back and forth for 30 of the 32 minutes of play, the Lady Cyclones came up on the hard end of a 53-46 defeat, which wasn’t indicative of the game played.
Elizabethton came out of the game exchanging blow for blow with their visitors from Kingsport as the two teams battled to a 27-25 game at the intermission in favor of the Lady Indians.
The Lady Cyclones stayed in the game playing a hard-nosed defense and hitting key shots by working the ball around the perimeter and then looking into the middle to their two post players who either attacked the basket or kicked it back outside for an open attempt at a trey.
Kayelyn Nave set the tone in the opening half for the Lady Cyclones by hitting for 10 points hitting a trey and 3-of-4 from the charity stripe.
Peyton McGee swished home a pair of trifectas while Michelle Shields chipped in with five points.
Caroline Hill and Hannah Frye scored eight points apiece in the opening half to lead the visitors.
The second half played out much the same way as the first as both teams couldn’t get any separation from each other for the first 14 minutes of play as the Lady Indians attempted to pull away but each time the Lady Cyclones stayed right on their heels.
It wasn’t until the game came down to the final two minutes of play that the Lady Indians took advantage of a turnover and a couple of buckets to pull away for the win.
Frye was one of three Lady Indians in double figures as she scored a game-high 15 points in the win. Hill finished with 13 while Payton Moore contributed 12.
Nave led the Lady Cyclones with a team-high 13 points in the loss. Shields and Marlee Mathena finished in double digits with 11 points apiece.
McGee finished with six points while Jamira Smalls had five points and reached double digits in rebounding to lead the Lady Cyclones in that category.
The Lady Cyclones will be back in action on Friday night as they welcome conference foe Sullivan East to Treadway Gym for a 6:30 pm tipoff followed by boys action at 8 pm.
