GOOD HOPE – After almost pulling off a major upset against No. 9 West Point to start off 2017, the Good Hope Lady Raiders came home looking to get back on track and break a seven-game losing streak as they took on Holly Pond.
Good Hope 33, Holly Pond 31 (Girls)
Early on, it looked to be too easy for Good Hope as they jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead. Holly Pond did not score their first points of the game until Molly Gambrill hit a pair of free throws with 3:50 remaining in the opening quarter. Turnovers ruled the quarter for both sides as both teams struggled to get going. Kolby Holcombe and Gambrill scored the only two baskets of the quarter for the Lady Broncos, but they made them count as Gambrill's layup gave Holly Pond a 9-8 lead after one.
The second quarter belonged to the Lady Raiders as they not only cut down on the turnovers, but they got it going on both sides of the ball and outscored Holly Pond, 15-0, to take a 21-7 lead at the half.
The Lady Broncos took charge to start the third quarter led by Taylor Tankersley as she scored her first point of the game on a free throw, then added a three and a pair from the line. She scored six of the 10 points in the quarter for Holly Pond, as their defense did not allow a Good Hope basket after the free throw by Erika Woodall early on in the quarter, until a Kate Kent layup with 1:03 remaining in the quarter off a Sadie Abbott steal. The Lady Raiders held on to a 24-17 lead going into the final quarter.
Early on in the fourth, Good Hope answered a Holly Pond basket with one of their own. After a Holcombe three cut the lead to 26-22, Savanna Derrick hit a big three to increase the lead to 29-22. Tankersley nailed a three to cut the lead back to four, but Derrick answered right back to push the lead back to 32-25.
The Lady Broncos made one more run to get back in the game, 6-0, finished with a layup by Presley Marks, and cut the lead to 32-31. Erika Woodall got fouled and went to the line for a chance to make it a three-point game. She made 1-of-2 from the line to make the score 33-31 with 6.3 seconds remaining in the game. But they had to make a stand on defense, not allowing Tankersley to get any room to move, and Good Hope hung on to win by the slimmest of margins.
Kent, Woodall and Derrick each finished with eight for Good Hope. Leyton Seal ended up with five. Abbott came up with three huge steals in the game. The Lady Raiders improve to 7-11 on the season. Their next game will be next Tuesday at Hanceville instead of tomorrow night against Meek because of games being canceled for wintry weather.
"We only had two turnovers in the second quarter," Good Hope coach Amanda Swann said. "Whenever you have one or two turnovers in a quarter, it makes a world of difference out there. We needed this win. We are peaking at just the right time, with the county tournament and area tournament coming up. We are getting there."
Tankersley finished with 13 for Holly Pond, all in the second half, and Gambrill had eight. They played tonight without sharpshooter Ruth Horton, who had a boot on her right foot. They will travel to J.B. Pennington next Tuesday because of their games being canceled for wintry weather tomorrow.
Holly Pond 81, Good Hope 43 (Boys)
After getting off to a slow start, No. 2 Holly Pond finished strong as they easily took care of Good Hope.
Good Hope stuck around in the early part of the game, as four points by Matt Dixon had them looking at a 5-4 deficit, but Holly Pond quickly finished strong, outscoring the Raiders, 16-4, to take a 21-8 lead after one.
They upped their lead to 39-18 in the second quarter, but the Raiders looked to be the team to finish strong, forcing Bronco turnovers and bad shots, as two threes by Mason Moniz and four points by Kallen Sharpton cut the lead to 39-28, but Dawson Foust hit a deep three just before the buzzer to make the score 42-28 at the half.
As quickly as Good Hope got back in the game, Holly Pond pulled away from them as they pushed their lead to 24 after a 10-0 run to start the third quarter, easily taking the rest of the game.
Matt Cahoon finished with 16 points for Holly Pond. Andrew Shaw ended up with 14. Jacob Harris had 10. Drew Jones and Dawson Foust ended up with eight and Caleb Jones had seven. They improve their record to 18-1. They will travel to J.B. Pennington next Tuesday.
"We did not get off to a great start," Holly Pond coach Mitch Morris said. "Give Good Hope credit. They came out with great energy. In the second half, we finished strong. It is weird coaching against one of your former players. Drew Adams is a great young man, and a great coach. He has this team playing really well right now. He has been around basketball his whole life."
Kallen Sharpton finished with 17 points and added six rebounds and a pair of steals for Good Hope, and Dixon and Moniz each had six. They fall to 11-5 on the season. They will travel to Hanceville next Tuesday.
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