Lead slips away from Lebanon girls late
Dec. 13—Lebanon's girls scored the first six points of last Friday's game against Gallatin, but had trouble consistently executing their offense thereafter against the quick Lady Wave.
And when the Devilettes were unable to get off a potential tying 3-pointer in the final seconds, the Lady Wave walked away from Campbell Brandon Gym/Hester Gibbs Court with a 44-41 win in what was often an ugly game.
"I kind of expected that," Lebanon coach Cory Barrett said. "With our youth, we're going to go through some stuff like that. We're trying to figure each other out and learn each other. We had one (sophomore Shauna Rowe) that had been hurt and came back and played her first game tonight. We're still trying to piece everybody together and figure it out. We got a lot of kids who can play. We just got to figure out the right combination. We got to pay attention to detail a little more. And we got to be in tune with each other."
Gallatin closed the first quarter with an 8-2 run as Lebanon held an 8-7 edge. The Devilettes, who played a lot of 2-3 zone on the defensive end, re-widened the margin to 20-16 going into halftime before the Lady Wave edged to within 32-31 going into the fourth.
"We felt we could mix it up with our length some and our athleticism and things," Barrett said. "Being a little bit more diverse defensively can be a benefit to this team."
Though the Lady Wave pulled into some ties during the second quarter, it wasn't until 2:40 was left in the third quarter they took their first lead on Asia Sawyers' fastbreak layup and one for a 28-26 edge. After Gallatin went up 31-26, TK Hastings hit a 3-pointer from 25 feet out for the one-point Lebanon lead going into the fourth.
The teams went back and forth through most of the fourth quarter. Macey Baker's basket in the post put Lebanon ahead 41-10 with 1:18 to play.
But Je'Leah Cole connected on two free throws with 32.5 seconds left to put Gallatin ahead to stay 42-41. Two foul shots by Sawyers with 12 ticks remaining made it a three-point game.
After a final Lebanon timeout with 3.1 seconds left, the inbounds pass was knocked around and the Devilettes never got off a tying shot as they sustained their second straight loss to fall to 7-2.
"Youth, youth, inexperience," Barrett said. " This is part of it. We'll learn from it. We'll be back Monday and get ready for Knoxville next weekend and the Five Star Preps event."
This game ended Lebanon's regular pre-Christmas schedule as the Devilettes have three events through the holidays, including the Kerry Malone Super Games Dec. 20-21 at Brandon Gym. But first, they will travel to Knoxville to take on Webb late this coming Friday and Fulton the following morning.
As for this game, Nunu Wilks led the Lady Wave with 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers during her eight-point third quarter. Cole added 10.
Baker led Lebanon with 11, including six in the fourth quarter. Finley Tomlin scored seven points while Julia Manus and Tiara Spencer each supplied six, Hastings and Rolandria Dowell five apiece and Rowe a free throw.
Lady Commandos control offensive glass to win over Wilson Central
GLADEVILLE — Hendersonville dominated Wilson Central on the offensive glass last Friday night in a 55-28 triumph.
Though the Lady Commandos held just a 19-18 overall edge on the boards, their 10-4 dominance on the offensive end didn't help the cause of the Lady Wildcats, who fell behind 18-9 at the first-quarter break, 30-20 at halftime and 41-25 going into the fourth.
Cloe Smith and Lillian Crutchfield each scored seven points for Central as they combined for 11 rebounds. Akeley Thompson finished with four points, Jamey Ricketts and Kristen Smith a 3-pointer apiece and Mary Dunn and Kendyle Pickett two each.
Wilson Central will travel to Siegel today for a 6 p.m. game in Murfreesboro.
