Early giveaways prove costly for Lady Broncos

First-half turnovers have been a problem for the Lady Broncos all season. And in their game against Eagleville Friday night at home, 17 turnovers in the half helped the Lady Eagles to a 58-48 victory as the Lady Broncos dropped to 0-9 in District 9-A action with Eagleville improving to 6-3.

Boyd opened the game in a zone defense trying to make Eagleville do its damage from the outside. But the Lady Eagles quickness up and down the floor created problems for the Lady Broncos. Eagleville’s pressure back-court defense created 10 turnovers in the first period by Boyd. The Lady Broncos worked the ball inside the paint to Amanda Prater who hit for six of the Lady Broncos 10 points in the period. But Boyd got in foul trouble early as Eagleville went to the line six times in the first period hitting nine-of-ten, as Chelsie Alsup scored 10 points in the period. The Lady Eagles closed out the quarter with a 3-pointer from Ashton Vaughn for a 21-10 lead.

Turnovers were still a problem for Boyd in the second period, but better control of the glass enabled the Lady Broncos to put 16 points on the board. Prater hit for 12 in the period as Lyndsey King and Leah Walker chipped in a basket each. But the Lady Eagles ran the floor for several easy baskets and 3-pointers from Kendra Harrell and Rachel Frazee gave Eagleville a 40-26 lead at the break.

Eagleville opened the third period by running off 11 unanswered points over a five-minute period. Courtney Hard put Boyd on the board at the 2:43 mark, but by the end of the period the Lady Broncos had just six points in the period, while Eagleville posted 15 for a 55-32 lead.

Boyd out scored the Lady Eagles 16-3 in the final period as Walker connected for six points and Prater hit for 10, but time ran out for the Lady Broncos as the Lady Eagles held on for the 10 point victory.

Prater led all scorers with 28 points for Boyd. Walker added eight, Alex Porter hit for six, Hard had four and King added two points.

For the Lady Eagles, Chelsie Alsup hit for 19 points followed by Ashley Bolden with 10, Frazee and Harrell had eight points each to lead Eagleville.