by Malcolm Butler
Avery Ryan led four players in double figures as the Cedar Creek Lady Cougars opened District 1-1A action with an 82-15 win over Glenbrook Friday night at the Brickhouse.
The Lady Cougars scored 10 points before the Lady Apache ever got the basketball across half court and ran out to a 39-4 lead at the end of the first quarter, forcing a running clock over the final three quarters.
“I loved seeing how we shared the basketball, and the smiles on their faces tonight,” said head coach Katie Hall. “We played as an unselfish group tonight. It was fun watching them have fun.
“I felt bad for Glenbrook, they have a lot of young players and have some kids sick. It was tough for them, and I did feel for them.”
Mary Grace Hawkins netted 13 of her 15 points in the opening eight minutes of play and she combined with Ryan for 25 first quarter points.
The Lady Cougars utilized a full court press in the opening quarter to build the big lead before Hall put her team back in a halfcourt zone to finish the game.
Despite playing with a running clock, the Lady Cougars scored 20 points in the second quarter and 17 more in the third quarter as Hall was able to utilize her bench throughout the game.
Arlyn Boyet came off the bench to score 14 points while Britton Bennett added six points, on a pair of three-pointers.
“Those kids put in as much work as our starters,” said Hall. “From top to bottom, everyone puts in effort and to see them get rewarded with some points and assists and smiles … it’s always fun to see that happen.”
Caroline James added 11 points and Alivia Lee nine for Creek.
Hall said with district play underway, she is pleased with where her team is at this point of the season.
“I think we are starting to figure things out and jell,” said Hall. “This is the time of the year where it gets real. They are locking in. I can see them enjoying each other as teammates through this process.”
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Glenbrook 55, Cougars 52
Glenbrook built an 18-point third quarter lead and then held off a fourth quarter rally by Cedar Creek to pick up the District 1-1A win at The Brickhouse.
Creek found itself trailing 36-18 in the third quarter after the Apache used a 10-0 run in the opening two minutes of the third quarter.
However, the Cougars didn’t go down quietly.
Creek cut the deficit to 42-31 at the end of the third quarter and continued to fight its way back into the game in the final stanza.
George Pullin buried a three-pointer and Cam Temple added another just 75 seconds into the frame to close the deficit to 44-37.
Creek trailed by nine with three minutes to play when Luke Alexander hit a jumper, Temple followed with two free throws and then Rhett Bridges converted a three-point play with 1:39 to play to close the gap to 52-48.
One minute later, Pullin hit a jumper to make it 52-50. After free throws by Glenbrook, Pullin netted another bucket with 13 seconds to play to close the deficit to 54-52.
Glenbrook then split a pair of free throws, but the Apache were able to pull down the miss, forcing the Cougars to foul.
However, two more missed free throws gave Creek the chance to send the game into overtime, but Boyet’s three was off the mark.
Temple led Creek with 18 points while Bridges added nine and Pullin seven.
