ROAN MOUNTAIN—With four players scoring in the double-digits, the Cloudland Lady Highlanders sped past the Johnson County Lady Longhorns for a 77-18 non-conference win Tuesday night.
It was the fourth game in five days for the Lady Highlanders after dropping a tough game to Happy Valley Monday night, 55-52.
“I was proud of the girls’ effort,” said Cloudland head coach Lucas Andrews. “We have played four games in five days, and we are starting to show some fatigue. But that is par for the course. I was proud of how they hustled and played hard.”
Senior Shian Strickland led the Lady Highlanders with 15 points on the night.
“That is typical Shian,” Andrews said. “She wanted to win. She took over the game and ensured that win.”
Cloudland’s DonRae Taylor and Johanna Johnson both had 12 points while Trinity Vines had 10 points to pace the Lady Highlanders.
In the first frame, the Lady Longhorns took the first lead of the night as they pushed out to 3-0. However, the Lady Highlanders did not let that lead last long as they opened up a 13-point drive that saw Strickland and McKayla Shell knocked down three-pointers to help their team to a 13-3 lead. Lady Highlanders’ Megan Lunsford drained a trifecta to jump Cloudland on out to a 16-3 heading into the second frame.
The Lady Highlanders took off in the second quarter as they outpaced the Lady Longhorns 22-8. Cloudland’s Don Rae Taylor found the basket for seven points in the second, while her teammate Lisa Ellis picked up five points to help the Lady ‘Landers’ cause.
The third frame saw the Lady Landers’ unleash on the Lady Longhorns, scoring 21-straight points to take a big 62-12 lead. Strickland pushed the Lady Highlanders’ drive with 11-points, while Johanna Johnson dropped a three-pointer and Trinity Vines picked up four points. The Lady Highlanders headed into the final frame leading 64-16.
Cloudland didn’t let up in the fourth quarter as they outscored Johnson County 13-2. In the final quarter, Johnson knocked down four points while Taylor hit a three and a bucket.
“I know our conference is going to be really tough and we have to work on our depth,” said Andrews about how the Lady Highlanders kept up the pressure for the entirety of the game. “I wanted to make sure those girls had the minutes.”
Monday, the Lady Highlanders will continue some non-conference play as they head over to Unicoi.
“I have got to see them once, and they are typical Unicoi,” Andrews said. “They hard-nosed and shoot a lot of threes. It is going to be a good test for us.”