Anemic WCHS ‘O’ helps Siegel’s girls take command early
Offensive struggles through three quarters of play allowed Murfreesboro Siegel’s girls to build a hefty lead on their way to a 59-40 win over Warren County Tuesday night at Charlie Dalton Gym.
Averaging just six points a quarter for the first three periods of their District 7-AAA matchup, the Lady Pioneers (6-9, 1-4 district) found themselves quickly behind, and trailed 13-6 at the end of the opening period when Siegel’s Bethany Wright beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer.
Brooke Bowman missed a trey to open the second, but followed her shot and laid it back in to pull her team within five. But that would be as close as the Lady Pioneers would ever come to the lead, as Siegel rattled off a 13-2 run over the next six minutes. Back-to-back 3’s from Miki Rogers and Brittany Frazier brought the home team within 10, but freshman guard Shanice Cason scored off a steal to end the half with her Lady Stars on top 28-16.
The third quarter belonged to Siegel, which forced nine Lady Pioneer turnovers and added 17 points to its total to carry a 45-18 lead into the fourth. Bowman scored with 2:46 to play for what would prove to be the only points for Warren County, which missed seven 3-point attempts during the quarter.
The Lady Pioneers heated up from the perimeter in the fourth, hitting three 3-pointers, including two in the closing minute from Frazier. They also added nine free throws on 16 attempts and another basket from Bowman. But despite more than doubling their total from the game’s first three quarters, the Lady Pioneers were never able to get closer than 16 points to the Lady Star lead.
Frazier led the way for WCHS with 13 points, while Bowman added a dozen and Jasmine Hall scored six. The Lady Stars got 14 from Cason, 12 from Morgan Faulkner and eight from post Clair Waggoner.
Warren County will be at home tonight, taking on Cookeville. The Lady Cavaliers enter the game with a 12-6 record and are 3-2 in 7-AAA play, after downing Blackman on Tuesday night 51-26.
Game time tonight at the Charlie Dalton Gym is set for 6:30.