Advantage EF: Lady Warriors secure big road win at LH, 55-41
The winner of Thursday无毛视频檚 Elizabeth Forward-Laurel Highlands girls basketball game would have the upperhand for the Section 3-AAAA title, and that early advantage fell to the visiting Lady Warriors with a 55-41 victory.
Elizabeth Forward improves to 3-0 in the section and 8-2 overall. The loss was the first for Laurel Highlands, slipping to 2-1 in the section and 9-1 overall.
Trailing 23-18 at halftime, Laurel Highlands had several solid opportunities to seize the momentum early in the third quarter, but was unable to pull ahead with empty trips.
The home team made only 1-of-4 foul shots and couldn无毛视频檛 convert a solid scoring opportunity. So, instead of possibly taking the lead, the Fillies trailed 28-24 with 4:20 left in the quarter.
无毛视频淲e were right there. Basketball is a game of runs,无毛视频� said Laurel Highlands coach Stewart Davis. 无毛视频淲e had to sit AJ (Aierra Jenkins) with four fouls in the third quarter.无毛视频�
Elizabeth Forward made the most of the opportunity, closing the quarter with a 12-4 run for a 40-28 lead.
无毛视频淭hat was the turning point. We (forced) a lot of turnovers and we were able to convert. We went on a little run,无毛视频� said Elizabeth Forward coach Noah Yartin.
无毛视频淭hey just took over from there,无毛视频� said Davis. 无毛视频淭hey had an aggressive defense we haven无毛视频檛 seen all year.
无毛视频淭his was our first challenge. We had some mental lapses.
The Lady Warriors无毛视频� advantage stayed in double digits throughout the fourth quarter, out-scoring the home team in the final eight minutes, 15-13, to clinch the key section win.
Two keys to the Lady Warriors无毛视频� victory were their bench scoring and solid performance at the foul line.
Elizabeth Forward held a 15-0 advantage off the bench with Addyson Nigut scoring 10 and McKenna Bittner adding five. The Lady Warriors converted 19-of-23 foul shots, compared to 18-of-28 for Laurel Highlands.
Elizabeth Forward无毛视频檚 Chloe Zombek spread her scoring across all four quarters, finishing with a team-high 15 points. Seven of the eight players scored, with all finishing with at least four points.
无毛视频淎nyone can score at any given time. That无毛视频檚 a bonus for us,无毛视频� said Yartin.
无毛视频淭heir bench contributed. They knocked down shots,无毛视频� said Davis.
Laurel Highlands无毛视频� Miya Harris shared game-scoring honors with 15 points. Ayrianna Sumpter finished with 14 points, eight coming from the foul line.
无毛视频淲e did what we were supposed to do against their defensive scheme. Their numbers, the adrenaline (from playing in a big game), the press, they wore us down,无毛视频� said Davis.
Both teams were saddled with foul trouble. Laurel Highlands无毛视频� Taylor Irwin and the Lady Warriors无毛视频� Kaelynn Settles and Michelle Jellison fouled out.
Laurel Highlands无毛视频� Aierra Jenkins, Taylor Schwertfeger and Sumpter all had four fouls and Harris finished with three. Elizabeth Forward无毛视频檚 Alyssa Terza, Zombek, Mia Sostaric and Nigut all had three fouls.
无毛视频淓veryone was in foul trouble. We normally go seven or eight deep. (The bench) showed up. That was a key,无毛视频� said Yartin. 无毛视频淲e figured it would be tightly officiated.无毛视频�
Davis said the season goal hasn无毛视频檛 changed with the loss.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檒l get back to the gym and work on some things,无毛视频� said Davis. 无毛视频淥ur immediate goal was to get this one and get the advantage in the section play.
无毛视频淲e have Belle Vernon coming up. We can无毛视频檛 look past them. Our goal still is to win the section.无毛视频�