JOHNSON CITY – The South Greene girls started fast on Thursday night and used overwhelming defense to pick up a 52-12 win over University High.
“We got off to a really good start in the first quarter, and that is what we wanted to do, get off to a quick start. That gave us an opportunity to play everybody ahead of playing on back-to-back nights,” South Greene coach Stephen Gregg said. “It’s always good when we can cheer everybody on, and everybody played hard tonight.”
The Lady Rebels scored the first 10 points on Thursday with Kortnei Bailey putting in three free throws while also scoring on an offensive rebound. Ari Hoese knocked down a triple during the stretch.
University’s only points in the opening frame came when Emma Linkous took a steal the other way.
South Greene followed with four points from Samanatha Birdwell and just before the buzzer Hoese hit from behind the arc again for a 17-2 lead.
South Greene’s offense slowed in the second quarter but after Reagan Arrowood went 4-for-4 at the foul line in a 32-second stretch the Lady Rebels were on top 25-5.
Bailey followed with a jumper from the top of the key and South Greene went to halftime leading 27-8.
South Greene scored the first 16 points of the second half as the lead grew to 43-8.
“After kind of a lackluster second quarter we challenged them to step up on the defensive end in the third quarter. To hold them to one point was a solid effort. I was glad we were able to implement multiple defenses and we got to really work on the whole defensive playbook tonight,” Gregg said.
Bailey started things with a runner from the baseline and before the Lady Bucs could get a shot off Alexa Gabbard followed by taking a steal the distance.
Another steal by Gabbard led to a straight-away trey from Birdwell before Bailey added four more points.
University’s only points of the period came on a free throw from Linkous, but the Lady Rebels entered the final frame leading 43-9.
In the fourth quarter the Lady Rebels’ bench took over and Trinity Borner, Sadie Knowles and Madison Fillers all hit three-pointers as the lead grew to 52-12 at the final horn.
Defensively South Greene held University to four made field goals in the entire contest. Linkous led the Lady Buccaneers with six points.
Bailey led South Greene with 17 points while Hoese and Birdwell each scored nine points. In total nine players scored for South Greene and all 10 players dressed out put up at least one shot attempt.
South Greene will be back in action on Friday at home against Chuckey-Doak in a District 1-2A contest.
