Lady Cyclones advance with win over Cherokee
Published 12:25 am Saturday, February 26, 2022
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Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Elizabethton's Olivia Holly lines up a trey and sends it to the bottom of the bucket in region quarterfinal play against Cherokee.
Star Photo/ Ivan Sanders
Lady Cyclone Reiley Whitson takes the basketball with authority to the rim.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Renna Lane pulls up for a short-range jump shot over a Lady Chief defender.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Lina Lyon dribbles the basketball past a Cherokee defender on the way toward the baseline.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
A double team by Elizabethton's Reiley Whitson (left) and Marlee Mathena (right) leads to a turnover as Whitson steals the basketball.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Lady Cyclone Renna Lane is sandwiched between a pair of Cherokee defenders.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Lina Lyon prepares to knock down a trey in the Lady Cyclones regional quarterfinal contest against Cherokee.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders
Olivia Holly keeps her eyes focused on the rim as she goes in for an easy lay up.
BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
The Elizabethton Lady Cyclones admittedly will take their opening win in their regional quarterfinal win over the visiting Cherokee Lady Chiefs but will also tell you they didn’t play the way they wanted to.
Missing several shots, with some of those point-blank, the Lady Cyclones made enough to take a 50-27 victory and advance to a Monday night game against Grainger Co. at 6 p.m. at Greeneville High School. Greeneville and Cocke Co. will battle after the Lady Cyclones contest.
The first half was definitely an offensive lull as after one quarter Elizabethton held an 8-7 lead and extended that to 19-14 at the intermission.
Olivia Holly hit two treys in the first and Lina Lyon added three field goals in the second scoring six points apiece to lead the Lady Cyclones. Reiley Whitson added a trey while Marlee Mathena and Katie Lee dropped in a deuce to make up the first half scoring for ‘Betsy.
Macy McDavid had seven of the 14 points scored by Cherokee in the half. Kyla Howe added four points.
Coming out of the locker room, the offensive output still hadn’t improved much as the Lady Cyclones managed to outscore the Lady Chiefs 13-6 to push their advantage to 32-20 heading to the fourth and final period of play.
Holly added another pair of triples as Lyon, Renna Lane, and Whitson added two points apiece in the quarter. Lee added 1-of-2 from the foul line.
The Lady Cyclones finally found their footing in the final eight minutes of play as they put the Lady Chiefs away with a 18-7 period to deliver the final score.
Holly led all scorers with a game-high 17 on the night with Lyon close behind with 15 points to pace the Lady Cyclones. Bella Markham led Cherokee with eight points in the contest.
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Class 3-A Region Girl’s Quarterfinals
Elizabethton, 50-27
Cherokee (27)
Macy McDavid 7, Bella Markham 8, Kailey Gilliam 3, Emma Mowell 5, Kyla Howe 4.
Elizabethton (50)
Olivia Holly 17, Lina Lyon 15, Kayelyn Nave 2, Renna Lane 6, Marlee Mathena 2, Reiley Whitson 5, Katie Lee 3.
Cherokee ……. 7 7 6 7 – 27
Elizabethton .. 8 11 13 18 – 50
