Elizabethton Roundup: Lady Cyclones rally in second half to down Unicoi Co., 56-46
Published 11:03 pm Tuesday, January 10, 2017
It was the first true test for the Elizabethton Lady Cyclones in the Three Rivers Conference when the Unicoi County Lady Blue Devils visited John Treadway Gymnasium on Tuesday evening.
Even though the Lady Cyclones stumped their toe in the early going, Elizabethton pulled it together in the second half to take down the Lady Blue Devils 56-46 to remain perfect in conference play.
“We talk a lot about boxing and being in a 12-round fight, and come conference time you are going to have those fights,” said Lady Cyclone head coach Barry Johnson. “You are going to get hit, but you have to be able to come back and do your thing and return the favor.
“These girls have bought into that and it’s all about winning and playing hard and meeting the competition where they are at.”
It was the play of Ashley Depew in the second half that was the difference for the Lady Cyclones who found themselves leading by a mere two points after the first 16 minutes of action, 23-21.
“Ashley let the game come to her and knocked down some threes for us,” stated Johnson. “She got her confidence going. She’s a good shooter and got into her comfort zone to help push us over the top.”
Depew caught fire in the third period hitting two treys and then ignited the Lady Cyclones with eight more points in the final stanza on two more treys and a field goal to finish with 14 points in leading Elizabethton (7-7, 4-0).
“I think in the first half we were impatient with our shots, but in the second half we slowed down and started to move the ball around,” said Depew. “When we start to do that we play better. Once I hit one, I became more relaxed and when you become more relaxed you shoot better.”
The Cyclones had a slim four-point lead before Depew’s heroics in the final quarter.
Brittany Campbell was another standout for Johnson’s team as the post who was playing in only her second game since November due to an injury dominated in the paint to toss in 13 points while dishing out three assists, pulling down seven rebounds, adding two blocks, and chipping in with two steals.
Elizabethton also received double figure scoring from Haley Burleson who collected 11 points. Bailey Montgomery just missed double figures scoring eight while Autumn Lyon and Kaylen Shell contributed with five points apiece in the 10-point victory.
Neelee Griffith of Unicoi Co. collected the game-high scoring honoring just edging Depew with 15 points. Chloe Powers was the only other Lady Blue Devil in double figures with 13.
The Lady Cyclones now must prepare to tangle with Sullivan East Thursday night in the Dyer Dome in Bluff City with the winner set to lead the pack at this juncture in the season.
Boys
Unicoi Co. ….71
Elizabethton…59
In a big showdown in boys play in the Three Rivers Conference, the Elizabethton Cyclones found themselves on the losing end of a game that got away from the Cyclones early as the Blue Devils handed Elizabethton the 12-point loss.
The game was a shootout from Unicoi’s Trevor Hensley and Elizabethton’s Michael Robinson as Hensley knocked down a game-high 38 points to show the way for the Blue Devils while Robinson who received a ball before the start of the contest for hitting 1,000 points for his career finished with 31 for the Cyclones.
Coach Lucas Honeycutt’s team just couldn’t find the composure it needed to stay with the Blue Devils early on as the game became physical in the paint.
The Cyclones (14-4, 3-1) trailed 28-21 at the half and 49-36 after three quarters and at one point in the final quarter were down by 27 points before trimming a large part of that deficit off to only lose by the 12-point margin.
Dylan Putman added 12 points for the winners.
For the Cyclones, Corey Russell tallied 12 points as the only other Cyclone in double figures. Jacob Norris and Adam Cornett chipped in with five points apiece with Hayden Townsend totaling four points.
Elizabethton’s road doesn’t get easier as the Cyclones travel to Bluff City Thursday night for another huge TRC showdown against Coach John Dyer’s Sullivan East Patriots.
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Girls
Elizabethton, 56-46
Unicoi Co. (46)
Neelee Griffith 15, Kaylee Hendrickson 6, Chloe Powers 13, Ashley Edwards 5, Halie Padgett 4, Kenedy King 3.
Elizabethton (56)
Ashley Depew 14, Kaylen Shell 5, Haley Burleson 11, Autumn Lyon 5, Bailey Montgomery 8, Brittany Campbell 13.
Unicoi Co. …… 13 8 12 13 – 46
Elizabethton…. 8 15 14 19 – 56
3-Pt Goals: Unicoi Co. 5 (Chloe Powers 2, Kaylee Hendrickson, Ashley Edwards, Kenedy King). Elizabethton 5 (Kaylen Shell, Ashley Depew 4).
Boys
Unicoi Co., 71-59
Unicoi Co. (71)
Michael Howell 4, Dylan Putman 12, Trevor Hensley 38, Chase McNabb 4, Troy Podvin 2, Clay Simpson 4, Jacob Smith 7.
Elizabethton (59)
Adam Cornett 5, Michael Robinson 31, Corey Russell 12, Hayden Townsend 4, Carter Everett 2, Jacob Norris 5.
Unicoi Co. …… 15 13 21 22 – 71
Elizabethton…. 13 8 15 23 – 59
3-Pt Goals: Unicoi Co. 10 (Trevor Shelton 5, Dylan Putman 3, Chase McNabb, Michael Howell). Elizabethton 6 (Michael Robinson 2, Hayden Townsend, Corey Russell 2, Jacob Norris).
