Blackman downs WCHS girls for third straight time
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Having already suffered losses to Blackman’s Lady Blaze twice this season, Warren County’s girls fell to 0-3 against their rivals from Murfreesboro, as they dropped a 56-48 decision at the Charlie Dalton Gym.
The Lady Pioneers, who fell to 11-8 overall and 4-7 in District 7-AAA play, had previously been defeated by Blackman in both the finals of the Overton Christmas Tournament, as well as in the two teams’ first regular-season meeting.
Tuesday’s contest was a close one for three quarters, before Blackman pulled away in the fourth to take the victory.
Warren County went on a 6-0 run late in the first to take its first lead of the game, and a Whitney Pelham basket at the buzzer let the Lady Pioneers carry a 14-12 lead into the second quarter.
The game’s second stanza was marked by long-distance accuracy from both squads, with the Lady Blaze and Lady Pioneers combining for eight 3-pointers over the eight-minute span. Whitney Pelham and Leah Cunningham nailed two 3’s each for Warren County, while Nikki Hughes added a pair of treys for the Lady Blaze, helping them tie the score at 32-32 by intermission.
The Lady Blaze (13-9, 7-4 district) held a slim 43-40 lead through three quarters, but used a scoring surge to expand that advantage in the fourth. Alana Hicks sparked an 11-1 run over a three-minute span in the period, and a 3-pointer from Megan Carter gave the visitors their largest lead of the game at 54-43.
Nikki Hughes led all scorers with 21 points, including three first-half 3-pointers. Hicks pumped in 16 to help propel the winning effort, while Carter, Thierre Patterson and Jennifer Gregory had five each. Devin Thompson and Kristen Jackson netted two each.
Leanne Pelham’s 14 led Warren County, while Whitney Pelham had 13. Cunningham chipped in eight points, Alysa Lankford had six, and Tia Williams scored four, while Vanessa Cornelius added three points.
The Lady Pioneers will be looking for a season split tonight, as they travel to Cookeville for a 6:30 p.m. tip-off. In their previous meeting on Jan. 13, the Lady Cavaliers’ Cara Reed recorded a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead her team to a 52-39 victory.