The Allen County-Scottsville Lady Patriots will begin 2017 after a 2-1 worksheet last week in the annual South Central Bank/Halton Classic at ACSH. The Lady Patriots defeated Ballard Memorial 50-28, dropped a six-point game to Casey County, 60-54, and then outgunned Madison Southern 50-34, to place third in the bracket-style tournament.
The Lady Patriots had little trouble in getting by Ballard Memorial Wednesday in opening round play. AC-S led 14-0 after the first eight minutes and built a 32-10 lead at halftime. The lead was 44-19 after the third frame.
Nine Lady Patriots scored in the rout of the Lady Bombers. Sophomore mason Towery led the way with 15 points on six of 13 shooting from the floor and three-for-three shooting at the foul line. Sarah Sutton added seven points with Alexus King contributing six.
AC-S went 21 of 49 from the floor (42.9%) and seven of 13 at the foul line. The Lady bombers were 11 of 44 in the game from the field and one of six at the foul line. Led by Sutton’s five rebounds, AC-S outrebounded Ballard Memorial 40-25.
The easy win moved AC-S into Thursday’s semifinals against a quick and talented Casey County squad---a squad that used three-point shooting and free throws to get pass AC-S.
The teams traded buckets in the first eight minutes---evident by the seven lead changes in the period. Sutton was the workhorse for the Lady Patriots, scoring eight of her team’s 12 points in the frame. After the first, Casey County led 13-12.
The Lady Patriots used a 16-13 second frame to open a two-point cushion at the half. In the second, Sutton added another eight points with buckets from Baylea Cook and Towery helped the hosts build as much as a five-point lead at one point. Casey County closed the gap to two by intermission.
The Lady Rebels slowed Sutton in the third frame with their efforts aided by cold shooting by AC-S. After making 14 of their 24 first half shots from the floor, AC-S would miss on eight of their 12 shots in the third frame. Still, AC-S managed to maintain a six-point lead, 42-36, going into the final eight minutes due in large part to Towery. The sophomore accounted for every Lady Patriot point in the third including hitting a pair of three-pointers to close the eight minute quarter.
The final period belonged to Casey County. The Lady Rebels gradually chipped away at the Lady Patriots until a pair of free throws by Nicole Duggins with 2:25 remaining gave the visitors a 46-45 lead. Sutton answered as AC-S regained the lead but a Duggons three seconds later---one of six three-pointers in the game by the Lady Rebels---gave Casey County the lead for good. AC-S could not answer while Casey County’s Lindsey lee sank nine of 11 free throws in the final 90 seconds to help her team record the win.
Sutton’s 23 points and 13 rebounds led AC-S. Towery added a career-high 23 points with 16 coming in the final half. AC-S finished the game shooting 48.9%, making 23 of 47 shots. The Lady Patriots went six of seven at the foul line. Casey County sank 16 of 44 shots but was 22 of 31 at the foul line.
Turnovers were also a key. The Lady Patriots had 19 turnovers in the game---including several key miscues in the fourth period---that led to 13 Lady Rebel points.
The loss to Casey County dropped AC-S into Friday’s third place game against Madison Southern. The Lady Patriots regrouped for the 16-point win.
“We came out a little flat defensively and that may have been due to back-to-back-to back games,” Lady Patriot coach Brad Bonds said. “We may have also had a little frustration from not being in the championship game. But, we picked ourselves up late in the third quarter and did some good things.”
The win over Madison Southern was keyed by the play of Sutton---20 points---and point guard Sydney Day.
For the first time this year, Day displayed her shot-making ability. Day went six-for-six from the floor and one-for-two at the line to finish with a career-high 13 points. Day also dished out fist assists and recorded three steals in the contest.
“Sydney had an incredibly good game,” Bonds noted. “She scored well and she pushed the ball up and down the floor well and played a great defensive game. That’s what we have to have from her. She set out for five weeks and has been back now for three weeks. She is kind of getting off some of the rust and getting in the rhythm and the flow. We think she can be one of the kids that can throw in six or eight average points per game that will help us.”
AC-S grabbed a 17-14 lead after the first eight minutes and carried a 23-19 lead to the locker room for halftime. However, a 11-9 third quarter pulled the Lady Eagles to within a basket after the third period.
“They put an 8-0 run on us and I wasn’t really pleased,” coach Bonds noted. “We have to call a time out and motivate a little bit but we were able to kick it back up. I was very pleased with the way we finished the game.”
However, buckets from Towery and Day to start the final frame pushed the AC-S lead to six. A quick bucket by Madison Southern closed the gap to four but a three off the fingertips of Towery and a three by Sutton stretched the AC-S lead to double-digits by the 4:56 mark. Defensively, AC-S’s pressure began to create havic for the Lady Eagles enabling AC-S to finish the game strong.
The Lady Patriots were 21 of 54 from the floor in the game and five of seven at the line. Madison Southern was 13 of 33 from the field and seven of nine at the line. Led by Towery’s nine rebound game, AC-S outrebounded Madison Southern 34-23. AC-S finished with 10 turnovers while forcing 18 lady Eagle miscues.
The win gives AC-S (8-5) momentum heading into one of the toughest stretches of the season.
“I was really pleased with what we were able to accomplish,” coach Bonds said. “I know that not being able to defend the title was tough but at the same time, we leave the tournament with a 2-1 record against really good competition. We finished 3-3 over the Christmas break but five of the games were against good quality competition. It should help prepare us going forward. We were able to grow and that should help us.”
The challenge begins this week with District 15 games against Glasgow and Monroe County. Next week, AC-S plays Logan County before hosting Glasgow on January 13.
“We have improved on things that should help us this next couple of weeks,” Bonds added. “Three out of our next four games are District games with two on the road.”
The Lady Patriots will go forward as some younger kids are stepping up their games.
“Baylea Cook is playing a lot better,” Bonds said. “She is getting better on the defensive end and offensively that gives us more depth in our rotation.”