Greeneville’s Brylee Tullock was not going to let her team lose on Wednesday night, and her triple-double effort led the Lady Greene Devils to an 82-78 overtime win over Science Hill.
Without their top post player in the lineup, Maria Lyde, all of the Lady Devils had to step up against a much bigger Lady Hill Toppers squad, and late in the game a battered and bruised Tullock found even more to give as she poured in 17 points in the final 12 minutes of the overtime win.
“What a gutsy group Greeneville High is,” Greeneville coach Annette Watts said. “Our girls understood what they had to do without Maria. Everybody had to get a few more points, and a few more rebounds. We just had to play tough, and we did it. I was so proud of that, and I think we learned some things tonight.”
Tullock did a little bit of everything on Wednesday as she scored 33 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished 12 assists. It was Tullock’s fourth triple-double this season.
“Science Hill is a good defensive team, but she was going to go score,” Watts said. “She played with a tough mentality and played through some stuff. She wants to go and she wants everyone else to go too.”
In addition to Tullock’s big night Julia Woolsey had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan Swatzell scored 16 points and grabbed six boards. Matea Gray had eight points, five rebounds and three steals, and Allison Hayes had eight points and six rebounds.
“Everybody’s role had to change tonight. I thought Jordan Swatzell really brought us a lot. She had some big boards and some threes, and we needed those to win tonight,” Watts said.
Wednesday’s fourth quarter started with Science Hill leading 54-51 but Tullock quickly corrected that by driving the lane and drawing foul for an old-fashioned-three-point play.
Through the first three quarters Science Hill’s defensive game plan was to cut off drives by pushing, shoving and banging on Tullock. Despite even receiving slaps in the open floor the referees seemed uninterested in assessing fouls against her defenders.
Through three quarters she went to the foul line just once, but in the fourth quarter and overtime fouls that had happened all game were suddenly whistled. In the final 12 minutes Tullock attempted 16 free throws and made 13 of them.
Greeneville went in front 61-60 with 4:22 left in regulation when Tullock made three free throws.
Science Hill briefly regained the lead at 65-63 when Gabby Long scored in transition.
Greeneville was able to swing the lead back in its favor at 71-67 after Swatzell drained a pair of three-pointers.
With 12 seconds left Science Hill evened the score once more when Khloe Summers got loose for a lay in.
In overtime Greeneville went in front 75-73 with 1:59 left when Tullock drove into the paint against a double team and dished to Hayes on the block.
Down the stretch the Lady Devils went 7-for-8 at the foul line with Tullock sinking five of those free shots on the way to an 82-78 win.
“These girls should really feel good about tonight. I don’t know that there is a tougher matchup for us without Maria. They run the floor, they are huge, and they have shooters. We should build some confidence from this,” Watts said.
Wednesday’s contest started with Science Hill jumping in front 10-3, but Tullock got the Lady Devils going with a triple from the left wing.
Swatzell scored inside and then with 2:08 left in the period Tullock turned a steal into a quick bucket that gave Greeneville’s its first lead at 11-10.
In the final 16 seconds of the first quarter Sommers took a pair of steals the other way to give the Lady Toppers a 19-14 advantage.
Science Hill’s biggest lead was 24-16 after Amiah Lewis sank a triple.
Greeneville got going when Tullock sent a baseball pass ahead to Woolsey for a breakaway layup. Over the next 1:21 Tullock set up Woolsey two more times and dished to Gray for a layup as Greeneville tied the score at 24-24.
Greeneville took the lead again at 28-26 when an offensive rebound by Swatzell set up Tullock for a three-pointer.
The first half ended with Clara Crowe sinking a corner three that gave Science Hill a 38-36 lead.
The teams traded points and the lead for much of the third quarter with Tullock scoring seven points for Greeneville and Allie Conner scoring eight for Science Hill. The Lady Hill Toppers were able to add one point to their advantage and went to the final frame leading 54-51.
Sommers led Science Hill on Wednesday with 17 points while Audrey Adams and Lewis each scored 14 points.
