The Allen County-Scottsville Lady Patriots continued to struggle to find points in their last two games. Tuesday, the Warren East Lady Raiders cruised to a 58-31 win over the Lady Patriots. Friday, the Barren County Trojanettes rolled to a 65-36 win over AC-S.
Tuesday’s game at Warren East started on a bright note for the Lady Patriots. A jumper from taylor carter, a 3-point shot from Allison Meador and a bucket from Chloe Cook lifted AC-S to a 7-3 lead at the 4:21 mark of the first. East answered with an 8-3 run to close the first frame with an 11-7 lead.
After a five-and-a-half minute scoring drought, Carter sank a free throw at the 6:30 point of the second period. Moments later, Meador’s basket pulled the Lady Patriots within five, 15-10. The Lady Raiders charged back, closing the first half on a 16-3 run to open a commanding 31-13 lead at the break.
The Lady Patriots and Lady Raiders exchanged
baskets in the third frame. For AC-S, the bright spot of the period was the
shooting of Grace Tuttle. The junior guard sank a pair of 3-pointers and hit a
free throw to help AC-S stayed within 20 points going to the fourth. However, a
15-8 fourth period from the Lady Raiders provided the final 27-point margin.
AC-S shot below the 30% mark for the game, making 10 of 37 shots from the floor. Another struggle for AC-S was free throws---evident by their eight of 23 night from the stripe (34.8%). Warren East was 22-47 from the floor (46.8%) and 10-21 (47.6%) at the foul line. In the boards, East outrebounded AC-S 36-28. The Lady Raiders forced 22 AC-S turnovers which led to 21 points for the hosts. Only two of AC-S’s points came off of East turnovers.
Meador and carter led in scoring for the Lady Patriots as each tallied eight points. Cook grabbed seven rebounds to lead the way. Lucy Patterson and Hailey Hymer scored 17 points for Warren East.
The outcome was the same Friday night against District 15 rival Barren County. However, the Lady Patriots did show signs of an improving shooting touch but struggled to slow the defending Region 4 champions.
In the opening quarter, Barren County’s pressure defense and outside shooting challenged AC-S. Facing the most aggressive defense of the season, the Lady Patriots were forced into 11 turnovers in the first eight minutes. The miscues, coupled with two of eight shooting from the score, and Barren County’s ability to make the outside shot quickly drained AC-S’s momentum. The Trojanettes opened a 23-5 lead as a result.
The Lady Patriots, to their credit, regrouped and matched Barren County almost basket-for-basket in the second frame. A jumper from Cook, a 3-point jumper from Kaylee Bullington, a lay-in from Jae McReynolds, a pair of buckets from Meador, and a hoop from Bullington helped the Lady Patriots put toegtehr one of their best quarters of the season. Shooting 54.5% from the floor in the eight minutes enabled AC-S to stay within 19 at the break, 37-18.
Barren County turned up the pressure once again to start the second half. The Trojanettes used crisp passing, timely shot selection, and pressure on defense to put together an 18-12 period, thus opening a 55-30 lead after the third. The bright spot for AC-S came in the final minute. Freshman forward Jaylee Covington showed flashes of her potential, scoring seven points in the final 52 seconds to help AC-S’s cause. However, her spark was not enough as Barren County cruised the rest of the way.
Meador was the lone Lady Patriot in double figures as she finished with 11 points. Covington’s seven followed. Cook again led the team in rebounds with nine. Campbellsville signee Elizabeth Bertram led Barren County with 19 points.
AC-S finished the night with their best shooting game of the year, making 16 of 42 shots (38.1%) from the field. However, the Lady Patriots still struggled at the foul line (2-5). Barren County was 23-53 from the floor including a nine for 17 night from 3-point range. The Trojanettes were 10-13 at the foul line. On the glass, AC-S out rebounded Barren County 36-23. AC-S finished with 23 turnovers which led to 27 Barren points.
The 11th annual South Central Bank/Halton Classic has started rough for the Allen County-Scottsville Lady Patriots. Despite a combined 35 points from Chloe Cook and Allison Meador, ACS dropped a 56-54 overtime game to Bullitt Central Friday night, December 27. Less than 24 hours later, the Lady Patriots fell 67-43 to a solid Grayson County team.
The loss to Bullitt Central is filled with missed opportunities---not only missed shots in the final seconds of regulation but also 15 missed free throw throughout the game. Through in 22 turnovers which led to 20 Bullitt Central points and you have a game that the Lady Patriots definitely allowed to slip through their fingers.
The Lady Cougars closed the first quarter on a 7-2 run to grab a 13-8 lead. Buckets from Cook and Jae McReynolds sliced an early eight point deficit to four, 18-14, by the 4:55 point of the second quarter. Bullitt Central’s Hailey Dillman buried three 3-point baskets in the final four-and-a-half minutes to enable the Lady Cougars to open a 33-23 lead by the halftime break. Dillman finished the first half with 18 points.
The Lady Patriots climbed back into the game in the third period. A put back basket from Allie Byrn and a jumper from Meador pulled AC-S to within three by the 3:11 point of the third. A 3-point shot by Emily bible doubled the lead for the Lady Cougars only to see Meador score on an inside move and Cook can her own 3-pointer to bring AC-S to within a point, 41-40, entering the fourth.
The Lady Patriots rally continued into the final frame. The teams traded baskets until Meador scored off a Byrn feed at the 1:50 mark to give the Lady Patriots a 49-47 lead. Moments later, Cook scored to enable AC-S to open a 51-47 lead. Lady Cougar Chloe Phillips bucket with 1:30 left made it a two-point game.
On the next possession, Cook drove to the rim as the clock dropped to under a minute and appear to score only to be whistled for an offensive charge. Bullitt Central’s first opportunity to tie the game failed but a Jae McReynolds turnover on a steal by Dillman at the 34 second mark afforded the Lady cougars a second chance. Dillman would be found but sink a pair of free throws to even the game at 51 with 33 seconds left. McReynolds would miss fire on a game winning shot at the 10-second mark. Cook grabbed the rebound but could not score on the put back attempt as time expired.
In the overtime, the Lady Cougars opened a three-point lead, 54-51, by the one-minute mark. However, Meador would bury a 3-point basket at the 41-second point to tie the game. Nataeigh Tatum’s drive and score with 2.7 seconds proved to be the game winner. A desperation three attempt at the buzzer fell short.
The loss overshadowed Cook’s 18-point, five rebound, five assists, and six steal night. Meador finished with 17 for AC-S. Meador and Byrn each grabbed seven rebounds. McReynolds matched a career high with nine points.
AC-S shot 40% from the floor (20-50)---their best shooting game of the season. However, their dismal 44.4% mark (12-27) from the free throw line proved to be a difference in the outcome. AC-S outrebounded Central 43-33.
Saturday’s game was not solid for the Lady Patriots. Grayson County charged from the gate to build a 21-9 lead after the first eight minutes. A 16-7 second frame enabled the Lady Cougars to open a 37-16 lead by halftime. Behind the play of Cook, Jaylee Covington, and Jayleigh Steenburgen, the Lady patriots won the third frame 12-10. In the fourth period, Grayson County (8-3) continued to press and pushed the lead to 30 at one point. A 12-6 run by AC-S’s reserves to close the game pulled the Lady Patriots to within 24.
Cook finished with 11 points and five
rebounds. Steenbergen added a career-high seven points and career-high five
rebounds in 14 minutes of action. Older sister Haleigh Steenbergen chipped in
five points---also a career-high. Abby Willoughby added four points.
The Lady Patriots struggled with their shooting (17-50 for 34.0%) from the floor. At the line, AC-S was seven of 16. The Lady Cougars from Grayson County were 21-51 from the floor and 21-28 at the foul line. Grayson County won the boards 44-25, forced AC-S into 24 turnovers, and had 11 assists.