Want an example of bench strength? Look no further than the Georgetown Lady Eagles’ 43-31 District 19-5A over Pflugerville Connally Friday night on the Cougars’ homecourt.
Junior guard Ali Isbell and sophomore forward McCall Hampton left the folding chairs on the sidelines to account for 60 percent of their team’s scoring and 57 percent of its rebounds in a victory that solidified the Lady Eagles’ hold on third-place in the district chase.
Isbell, hitting five of seven 3-points, led Georgetown’s scoring with 15 points, two treys that helped the Lady Eagles offset a slow start and three more in the second half that helped them gain control of the game. She added two boards.
The 5-foot-10 Hampton pulled down a season-team-high 15 rebounds and scored 11 points, including a nine of 12 showing on free throws.
The victory allowed Georgetown to improve its 19-5A record to 7-2, leaving them with in striking distance of first-place Cedar Park (10-0) and second-place Rouse (9-1). More importantly, the Lady Eagles now have a three-game lead over fourth-place Connally (5-5) in the loss column and a four game edge over fifth-place Bastrop (4-6).
The win over Connally also gives GHS a sweep of the Cougars and the tie-breaker in case they would eventually tie for a playoff position.
“I’m happy, very happy,” GHS head coach Rhonda Farney said of the victory in a game that was deadlocked 21-21 at the half. “I can’t tell you how huge it is. The thing I loved most was our team’s attitude. At halftime, it was like, ‘it’s an even score but it’s our time.’ We came out and played with a lot of energy in the second half so I was very pleased.”
As for her 3-point success, Isbell said it was something that they had worked on in practice, being willing to be aggressive and put the ball up in the face of defensive pressure.
“I was very proud of Ali,” Farney said. “Jo (Weirich) hit some shots for us in the first half and Maddie (Vickers) made a big 3 as well down the stretch. Coach (Kellye) Richardson and coach (Kevin) Spruill have been working hard with our guards on getting their shots off even when they’re contested and tonight we did a good job.”
As for Hampton, Farney said, “She was huge and did some really good things for us. McCall again provided the spark.”
The Lady Eagles will try to take another step closer to their 28th consecutive berth in the state playoffs when they visit Hutto (3-7) on Tuesday. GHS bested the Lady Hippos, 36-27, in the first half at home, but Hutto is usually a tough place to play. The Hippos are coming off a 59-48 win over Bastrop Cedar Creek.
“I felt like their defense was the toughest of anyone for us to score against,” Farney said of Hutto. “It will be a tough battle — our second road game in a row. This is the gauntlet of our schedule (three of four on the road, including Bastrop on Jan. 23) and it’s imperative we take care of business.”
Of course, there may be another big roadblock Tuesday. As of Sunday, there was a threat of possible freezing percipitation in the Austin area on Monday night and Tuesday with the possibility of ice and snow. A winter storm watch for the area already has been issued.
After playing Hutto, Georgetown will return home to play Elgin at 7 p.m. Friday on a night when the Lady Eagles’ will honor the school’s 2003 Class 5A state semifinalists.
With a victory over Bastrop Tuesday, or whenever the wearther dictates, Cedar Park can clinch a playoff berth and Rouse also can assure itself of as playoff spot if it defeats East View and the Lady Timberwolves perform as expected at Bastrop.
The Lady Eagles trailed 12-9 after the first quarter, but ended the first half deadlocked at 21-21 as a 3-pointer by Connally’s Zahra Cross erased a 21-18 Georgetown lead.
GHS worked the margin out to 28-24 in a third quarter that saw a total of only 10 points scored. After a scoreless two minutes and 45 seconds, the Cougars’ Ayreona Justice broke the ice with a 3-pointer. However, the Lady Eagles responded with a free throw by junior Jaelyn Knight and two 3-pointers by Isbell.
The Lady Eagles advanced the lead to 12 points in the opening 2:17 of the fourth quarter with back-to-back treys by Isbell and senior Maddie Vickers and a pair of free throws by Hampton. Connally’s E’Nisha Fowler made a free throw, but Knight made back-to-back baskets to make it 40-25 with 3:24 to go and GHS never let the lead fall under the final 12-point margin. GHS twice led by as many as 16 points.
Neither team shot the ball well from the floor. GHS was 12 of 35 (34 percent) and Connally made only 9 of 37 (24 percent). The Lady Eagles took a 30-24 rebounding edge.
Defensively, GHS stole the ball 13 times (four each by Vickers and Hampton) and had three blocks (two by the 5-11 Knight and one by 6-0 Jade Smith). For the eighth time this season, the opponent’s leading scorer — Justice with nine points — was held to less than 10 points.
“I was really happy with our freshmen tonight and pleased with the JV,” Farney said after both sub-varsity teams improved thei season records to 20-2. The Freshman Blue lead the district witrh a 9-0 record, while the JV is second to Cedar Park with an 8-1 mark.
The JV outscored Coinnally, 22-10 over the final nine minutes to post a 50-30 victory with sophomores Mercedes Robledo and Kylee Sander leading the way with 17 and 14 points, respectively. They combined for six 3-pointers.
The Freshman Blue prevailed with a 51-6 victory as Skylar Neugent scored 16 and Graci Harris and Lauren Woodard each added 14 points.
GEORGETOWN VS. CONNALLY
At Pflugerville Connally,m Friday, Jan. 12
VARSITY
GEORGETOWN 43, CONNALLY 31
GHS (43) — Ali Isbell 5-7 0-0 15, Josie Weirich 2-5 1-2 7, Samari O’Brien 0-0 0-0 0, Kylie Ellsworth 0-6 0-0 0, Mackenzy Mouton 0-0 0-0 0, Jaelyn Knight 2-4 1-2 5, Maddie Vickers 1-6 0-0 3, Jade Smith 1-3 0-0 2, McCall Hampton 1-4 9-12 11. Totals: 12-35 11-16 43.
CONNALLY (31) — Armani Stokes 0-2 0-0 0, Alexus Mitchell 0-3 2-4 2, Ayreona Justice 4-8 0-0 9, E’Nisha Fowler 1-10 4-10 7, Favour Unegby 0-0 0-0 0, Tierra Leyanna 0-1 1-2 1, Devin Mayberry 0-2 0-0 0, Ragual Porter 0-0 0-0 0. Lashiyan Fowler 2-4 1-2 5, Zahra Cross 2-7 1-2 7. Totals: 9-37 9-20 31.
Halftime: 21-21. 3-point shooting: GHS 8-19 (Isbell 5-7, Weirich 2-4, Ellsworth 0-4, Vickers 1-3, Hampton 0-1); PC 4-19 (Stokes 0-1, Mitchell 0-3, Justice 1-5, E. Fowler 1-4, Leyanna 0-1, Cross 2-5). Rebounds: GHS 30 (Hampton 15, Ellsworth 5, Knight 3); PC 24 (Justice 6, Mayberry 5). Assists: GHS 12 (Ellsworth 3, O’Brien 2, Smith 2, Hampton 2). Steals: GHS 13 (Vickers 4, Hampton 4). Blocks: GHS 3 (Knight 2, Smith 1). Turnovers: GHS 17, PC 21. Total fouls: GHS 19, PC 19. Fouled out: none. Technical foul: PC, Cross (fourth, 3:15). Records: GHS, 7-2 in 19-5A, 17-8; PC, 5-5 in 19-5A, na.).
DISTRICT 19-5A RACE AT A GLANCE
(Through games of Jan. 12)
Standings: Cedar Park, 10-0; Rouse, 9-1; Georgetown, 7-2; Pflugerville Connally, 5-5; Bastrop, 4-6; East View, 3-6; Hutto, 3-7; Elgin, 2-8; Bastrop Cedar Creek, 1-9.
Friday’s results — Georgetown 43, Connally 31; Cedar Park 64, Elgin 33; Rouse 70, Bastrop 47; Hutto 59, Cedar Creek 48. Bye: East View.
Tuesday’s games — Georgetown at Hutto, 7 p.m.; Rouse at East View, 7 p.m.; Cedar Park at Bastrop, 7 p.m.; Cedar Creek at Elgin, 7 p.m. Bye: Connally.
Friday’s games — Elgin at Georgetown, 7 p.m.; East View at Cedar Park, 7 p.m.; Hutto at Pflugerville Connally, 7 p.m.; Bastrop at Cedar Creek, 7 p.m. Bye: Rouse.
SUB-VARSITY RESULTS
(GHS scoring only)
GHS JV 50, CONNALLY JV 30 — A’Brielle Abrams 0, Kylee Sander 14, Hailey Hanson 2, Hailey Smith 3, Maya Perry 5, Mercedes Robledo 17, SueEllen Albrecht 0, Kieana San Miguel 9, Alicia King 0. Halftime: GHS, 21-12. GHS record: 8-1 in 19-5A, 20-2.
GHS FRESHMAN BLUE 51, CONNALLY FRESHMAN 6 — Graci Harris 14, Reece Johnson 0, Jordayn Stout 0, Grace Kearney 0, Megan Herring 5, Lauren Woodard 14, Cheyenne Garcia 2, Skylar Neugent 16. Halftime: GHS, 34-4. GHS record: 9-0 in 19-5A, 20-2.
Source: Lady Eagles Basketball.
— By GALEN WELLNICKI