by Bryce Phillips

Star Staff

bryce.phillips@elizabethton.com

Despite a strong first quarter, the Lady Bulldogs could not hold on, dropping the Class A district crown to South Greene 52-48.

“I’m proud of my girls,” Hampton coach Bud Hazelwood said. “At the beginning of the season, no one would have thought we would not only play for the district championship, but compete for the district championship. We had chances to win it.”

Hampton’s Alexus Grubbs and Alexis Bowers shared 13 points to lead the Lady Bulldogs in scoring. Shyenne Tuelle came in with six.

In the first period , the Lady Bulldogs, with good passing and rebounding, made a nine-point run to push out to a 13-6 edge. Grubbs closed out the period with a last second three, putting Hampton up 18-10.

In the second period, The Lady Rebels were able to find their footing, orchestrating an eight-point scoring streak to take a three-point lead. After two, South Greene led 25-22.

With the Hampton’s cheering section going nuts, the Lady Bulldogs opened up the third frame with nine-consecutive points to regain the lead 31-25. However, the Lady Rebels quickly slashed Hampton’s lead back to one. The game was knotted at 34, before Alexus Bowers sank a bucket to put Hampton up by two. The quarter was closed out with a basket from South Greene to put the Lady Rebels up 39-38 going into the fourth.

A shot from South Greene’s Taylor Lamb would tie the game up at 45, before back-to-back buckets from the Lady Rebels gave them a five point lead. A three from Grubbs tightened the game up to two points, but the Lady Rebels were able to run the clock down to 20 seconds before going to the line for an easy two. The Lady ’Dogs were not able to close the gap.

Lamb led the Lady Rebels with 13 points.

“Hampton is a really good coached team,” South Greene coach Stephen Gregg said. It is always a dog fight with them. They have good senior leadership; Hampton is a quality team. I like Hampton. I believe they can do well at regionals.”

Next up for Hampton is a regional match up at home on Monday at 7 p.m.

Hampton 48

Bowers 13, Grubbs 13, Tuelle 6, Street 7, Swearingen 6

South Greene 52

Lamb 13, Schmaltz 8, A. Wykle 8, K. Wykle 8, Cutshaw 5, Williams 4, Crum 4, Jones 2

Hampton 18 4 16 10 — 48

South Greene 10 15 14 13 — 52

3 point goals— H  5 (Grubbs 3, Bowers 1, Tuelle 1) S  3 (K. Wykle 2, A Wykle 1)