Lady Cyclones regroup to capture third place over Unicoi Co.
Published 8:57 pm Monday, February 24, 2025
Ivan Sanders/Star Correspondent Jamira Smalls pushes through a Lady Blue Devils double team for a basket.
Ivan Sanders/Star Correspondent Peyton McGee puts up an uncontested 3-point shot in the first half of Monday's game.
Ivan Sanders/Star Correspondent Reagan May drives the lane for an easy layup in the Lady Cyclones' win.
Ivan Sanders/Star Correspondent Kayleyn Nave played a key role in the Lady Cyclones' third-place finish in the District 1-AAA tournament. Nave totaled a game-high 12 points in Elizabethton's win.
Ivan Sanders/Star Correspondent Rylee May drives against a Unicoi Co. defender.
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STAR CORRESPONDENT
BRISTOL – With a region berth already secured, it was time to see where the teams would finish in the District 1-AAA girls basketball tournament to determine their first-round opponent in Friday night’s regional opener.
The Elizabethton and Unicoi Co. girls squared off in the consolation game Monday evening inside Viking Hall in Bristol to determine who would be traveling to either Greeneville or Grainger as they battled for third and fourth place.
After a shaky performance on Saturday, the Lady Cyclones were back to their old selves on Monday as they handily defeated the Lady Blue Devils 53-35 to earn third place.
Elizabethton built a 16-point first-half lead behind the play of Kayleyn Nave, who had 10 points in the half. Rylee May and Jamira Smalls also found their groove for the Lady Cyclones, with May hitting three deep treys and Smalls dominating inside as both had nine in the opening 16 minutes of play.
Overall, the Lady Cyclones had seven 3-pointers in the first half.
Abigail Violrio led the Lady Blue Devils with six points.
The Lady Blue Devils turned up the defensive intensity in the second half, coming out of the locker room operating in a full-court press that seemed to get the Lady Cyclones on their heels a little offensively, but the Lady Cyclones kept pushing, leading 45-28 at the end of the third quarter before closing the game out down the stretch.
Nave led the Lady Cyclones with a game-high 12 points, while May and Smalls finished with 11 points apiece. Seven Elizabethton players cracked the scoring column, with Reagan May tossing in six points along with Peyton McGee and Adrian Heading, who recorded five points each.
Jasy Shell collected three points.
Violrio had a team-high 10 points to pace Unicoi Co. Noell Farnor and Laney Rogers added seven each for the Lady Blue Devils.
