Lady Cyclones overpower U-H, 63-15
Published 1:09 am Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton's Kelsie Winters drives to the basket for two points.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Lina Lyon of Elizabethton looks for options while being closely defended by U-H's Deloney Trosin.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton's Lina Lyon lets a shot fly toward the bucket.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Lady Cyclone Renna Lane makes a pass to a teammate in the corner.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton's Katie Lee pulls up for a jumper in the paint over a U-H defender.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Elizabethton's Kaitlin Bailey dishes off a pass in Monday's game against U-H.
Star Photo/Ivan Sanders Lady Cyclone Kaitlin Bailey goes high for a shot over Lady Buc Katy Stancil.
BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
JOHNSON CITY – The University High Lady Bucs must have known how survivors in a life raft in the middle of nowhere feel with a large school of great white sharks swimming around them constantly.
That’s how the Lady Cyclones of Elizabethton made them feel on Monday evening inside Brooks Gym on the campus of ETSU as the Lady Cyclones relentless defensive pressure forced turnover after turnover in taking a 48-point road win.
It was the second big loss in a week for the Lady Bucs who only scored nine points against Sullivan Central last week in a big rout as well.
“We have had some tough games,” said Lady Cyclone head coach Lucas Andrews. “We had a tough loss on Friday and we needed to get back to what we were doing during the summer.
“We were getting after people and playing harder and I challenged the girls to do that and I think they did that in the first half.”
Elizabethton terrorized the Lady Bucs in the first 16 minutes with their swarming defense and high-octane offensive attack building a 41-5 lead at the intermission.
Seven of the ten players that filled the scorebook scored in the first half as Morgan Headrick was doing it from the inside and outside scoring 12 in the half including two treys.
Pint-size freshman guard Lina Lyon was doing a little bit of everything as Lyon’s quickness and speed forced several turnovers and easy buckets while she knocked down seven points in the half.
“She gets after it,” said Andrews of Lyon. “A lot of people said her size may hurt her but it hasn’t hurt her yet.
“She plays with a lot of heart and a lot of energy and people feed off that. Even though she’s a freshman, I think that even her energy feeds even up to the upperclassmen and I am glad we have her.”
The inside power play of Kaitlin Bailey and Kaylen Shell was a contributing factor as well as both seniors added six points apiece.
Elizabethton started the second half much the way they finished the first half and cruised to the road win.
Lyon scored 13 points to lead all scorers while Headrick finished with 12 points. Bailey and McKendra Norris closed out their night with 10 points apiece.
Shell tossed in nine points in the victory and Kelsie Winters added six. Cheyenne VanHuss accounted for two points with Renna Lane hitting 1-of-2 from the charity stripe to complete the Elizabethton scoring.
Mari Jackson scored seven points to lead the Lady Bucs while Ryleigh Owens pitched in with three points.
Elizabethton hosts the Lady Warriors of Happy Valley tonight at 6:30 pm in a rescheduled contest.
