Slow start dooms Lady Highlanders in loss to THS
Published 5:33 pm Sunday, December 1, 2024
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent Lady 'Lander Abby Clawson (54) and Tennessee High’s Keeyanah Foote (10) tip off the final game of Wednesday night’s session of the Valley Forge Thanksgiving Classic at Happy Valley High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent Lady 'Lander Makenzie Street (4) follows through on Cloudland’s first basket of the game, a three-pointer from the top of the key, two minutes into the second quarter during the final game of Wednesday night’s session of the Valley Forge Thanksgiving Classic at Happy Valley High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady 'Landers' Ewyon McCurry (1) hits a floater in the lane as she splits Tennessee High’s defense late in the second quarter during the final game of Wednesday night’s session of the Valley Forge Thanksgiving Classic at Happy Valley High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady 'Landers' Izabella Christman (32) drives the baseline around Tennessee High’s Delaney Linkous (20) early in the second quarter during the final game of Wednesday night’s session of the Valley Forge Thanksgiving Classic at Happy Valley High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady 'Landers' Regan Blair (3) is fouled by Tennessee High’s Jasmine Jones (42) as she drives between Jones and Delaney Linkous (20) early in the final game of Wednesday night’s session of the Valley Forge Thanksgiving Classic at Happy Valley High School.
Larry N. Souders/Star Correspondent The Lady 'Landers' Makinna Shell (10) looks to pass as she drives by Tennessee High’s Chase Wolfenbarger (23) midway through the first quarter of Wednesday night’s session of the Valley Forge Thanksgiving Classic at Happy Valley High School.
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Star Correspondent
Cloudland opened the first quarter of its girls’ basketball contest with Tennessee High with an 0-for-7 shooting start and fell behind 13-2 after the first quarter. The Lady Vikings held that lead to the end of a 43-32 win in the Valley Forge Thanksgiving Classic girls’ basketball tournament played at Happy Valley High School.
“We came out of the gates a little slack,” Lady Highlanders head coach Matt Birchfield said. “They came out on fire, and they played well. They attacked the rim, and we made some adjustments to get back in it in the second half.”
Vikings post Jasmine Jones scored six first-quarter points and finished with a game-high 14 points, while Kerigan West hit a trey as THS built a big first-quarter advantage. Lady ‘Landers guard Makenzie Street hit a pair of treys in the second period as Cloudland (0-2) began to battle back and overcome poor shooting.
The Vikings led 25-12 at halftime. The ‘Landers began to exert strong defensive effort to open the third period, but West buried a pair of three-balls to keep Cloudland at bay.
“Makenzie Street hit a couple of threes to help get our offense going,” Birchfield said. “We just dug too deep a hole for ourselves, but I credit them. They are a good team. They are talented and well-coached, and we can’t get in a hole early like we did.”
The Vikings took a 32-21 lead into the fourth quarter, and Chase Wolfenbarger opened with a trey. Cloudland closed to within 37-28 after a bucket from Street and a three-ball from Makinna Shell, but the teams traded baskets when the ‘Landers really needed a stop but couldn’t make that happen consistently enough.
It was 39-30 at the 3:01 mark after a deuce from Abby Clawson following an offensive rebound, but Katy Granger’s free throws pushed the Vikings’ lead to 11. Wolfenbarger finished with 11 points for THS to back Jones’ effort.
For Cloudland, Street’s 12 points were a team-high, with Shell adding five points.
Valley Forge Thanksgiving Classic Girls Basketball Tournament
Tennessee High 43, Cloudland 32
Cloudland (32): E. McCurry 2, Blair 1, Street 12, Shell 5, S. McCurry 4, Harper 2, Jones 2, Clawson 4.
Tennessee High (43): Foote 3, Moore 2, Wolfenbarger 11, Granger 4, West 9, Jones 14.
Scoring by Quarter:
Cloudland 2 10 9 11 — 32
Tennessee High 13 12 7 11 — 43
Three-Point Goals:
Cloudland 4 (Street 3, Shell 1), Tennessee High 4 (West 3, Wolfenbarger 1).
