Fast start, fast finish for Lady Eagles
By Will Estep | (sports@thedailytimes.com)
Hosting its first Southern Christian Athletic Association basketball tournament game, Maryville Christian made it look easy in the first round matchup against Dogwood Christian Academy on Thursday night.
The Lady Eagles started the game on a big run, never trailed and won going away in a 45-14 victory to advance.
Before Dogwood Christian scored its first points of the contest, Maryville Christian already held a big 16-0 lead.
Peyton Miles and Hannah Caldwell led Maryville Christian (15-6) with 9 points each. Miles scored the first points of the game quickly on a layup and Caldwell scored 7 of her 9 points in the 16-0 run.
“When you get a lead like that, it allows me to do a lot of substitutions and get a lot of these younger girls in and get a lot of playing time across the board,” Maryville Christian coach Mark Williamson said.
Dogwood Christian got on the board when Hannah Dorsey, who led her team in scoring with 9 points, scored on a driving layup cutting the score to 16-2 with 2:44 left in the first quarter.
Jessica Evans and Rachel Hamby each finished with 8 points for Maryville Christian as the Lady Eagles shared the basketball and produced most of their points from in the paint.
“I really wanted to get that ball into the interior,” Williamson said. “I don’t even remember really that we had a lot of perimeter shots. Moving the ball around the perimeter and getting the ball inside driving in, I was glad to see it.”
Rachel Hamby put Maryville Christian up 35-9 with 6:55 left in the third quarter with the only 3-pointer of the night for either team.
The Lady Eagles won in a meeting with Dogwood Christian on Feb. 11, 48-11 and Thursdsay night the defense was just as good.
The Lady Bulldogs best quarter was a 5-point second and Williamson enjoyed the effort his team gave as Dogwood Christian was eliminated from the tournament.
“Defensively, they did good,” Williamson said. “They were cutting those passing lanes, stepping into the passing lanes and putting some good angles in our defensive favor.”
Maryville Christian led 32-7 at the half and ended the third quarter with a 41-10 lead. Allison Hamby finished with 7 points and scored her last points on a steal and layup with 1:30 left in the third quarter giving the Lady Eagles the 31-point lead.
The second round of the tournament will be played at the Rossville Athletic Complex in Rossville, Ga. Maryville Christian plays at 4:30 p.m. on Monday.
SCAA Tournament
First Round at Maryville Christian
MARYVILLE CHRISTIAN 45, DOGWOOD CHRISTIAN 14
D 2 5 3 4 – 14
M 21 11 9 4 – 45
DOGWOOD CHRISTIAN: Hannah Dorsey 9, Sarah Dorsey 4, Bethany Wilson 1.
MARYVILLE CHRISTIAN (15-6): Peyton Miles 9, Hannah Caldwell 9, Jessica Evans 8, Rachel Hamby 8, Allison Hamby 7, Alex Williamson 2, MaKayla Raines 2.
3-POINTERS: Dogwood Christian 0; Maryville Christian 1 (Rachel Hamby).
