Coming unleashed in the third quarter for a 28-2 run, the Lady Bulldogs rolled out to a 71-43 non-conference win over the Johnson County Lady Longhorns Monday night in Mountain City.

Hampton’s Shyanne Tuelle paced the Lady Bulldogs with 23 points Monday.

“She is an athlete when she is playing,” said Hampton head coach Bud Hazelwood about Tuelle. “Got on her about her shot selection a little bit in the first half. She shot well in the second half.”

Hampton had two more players hit the double-digit mark Monday with Megan Garland and Alexus Grubbs recording 15 and 10 points, respectively.

“You know, Megan Garland played well for us tonight,” Hazelwood said. “Grubbs did well. And Kinzey Hill got out of her shooting slump tonight.”

Hill finished the night with nine points.

Coming out of the first quarter, the Lady Bulldogs held a 20-8 edge over the Lady Longhorns. However, a three and an inside bucket by Johnson County’s Michala Cretsinger slashed Hampton’s lead to 22-13 midway into the second frame. The Lady ’Dogs opened up down the first-half stretch with a 10-point rally as Grubbs and Tuelle knocked down four points a piece, and Kinzey Hill made a bucket. With Cretsinger hitting a late shot, the Lady Longhorns trailed Hampton 34-21 heading into the half.

Hampton’s Megan Garland connected for straight-seven points in the opening moments of the third. Garland’s rally would be the beginnings of a 28-2 run by the Lady Bulldogs that gave Hampton a big 62-23 lead with 2:49 left in the third quarter. Trailing by 39 points, the Lady Longhorns put up seven unanswered points to chisel Hampton’s lead down to 62-30 heading into the final quarter.

“We got a little happy there,” said Hazelwood about Hampton’s third-quarter drive. “We started putting a little pressure on them. We were able to steal the ball a couple of times, and they threw it way a couple of times.”

In the final period, Hazelwood rotated in some of his young players. During the fourth quarter, Johnson County outscored Hampton 12-9, but it was not enough to overcome their deficit. Hampton’s Hope Bridgeman hit a bucket and a three for five, while Stephanie Campbell was good for a two-pointer and a foul to give Hampton four in the fourth.

“They didn’t rebound as well as I wanted them to in the fourth quarter, but it is a process, and it is still early,” Hazelwood said.

Saturday, the Lady Bulldogs, will travel to Unicoi for another non-conference matchup before taking on Unaka next Tuesday for their first conference bout.

“They are tough,” Hazelwood said about the Lady Rangers “With how they and Cloudland are playing, they will probably challenge South Greene.”