CEDAR BLUFF – Freshman forward Hayden Cannon got Cedar Bluff off to a good start, and junior point guard Maggie Clowdis helped finish things off for the Lady Tigers in their Class 1A, Area 13 tournament opener on Saturday. They held on to defeat Gaylesville 44-32.
Cannon connected on three 3-pointers in the first quarter and finished with 11 points. Clowdis collected nine of her game-high 20 points in the fourth, including a 5-of-6 performance from the free-throw line when Gaylesville had cut it to a seven-point game.
“We jumped out to a good lead (15-3 in the first quarter), but we came out in the second half and it seemed like we were gassed,” Cedar Bluff coach Joe Carpenter said. “It seemed like they (Gaylesville) wanted it more than we did. They closed the gap. I think we were very lucky to hold on to the win.”
The Lady Trojans trailed 26-15 at halftime and 31-21 at the end of three quarters, but managed to whittle Cedar Bluff’s advantage down to 33-26 with 5:45 remaining in the game on three free throws by Paisley Bryson.
Bryson led the Lady Trojans with nine points.
But Clowdis helped put the game away with her free-throw shooting down the stretch.
“I think our intensity level picked up a little bit (in the fourth quarter), Carpenter said. “We gave up some points at the end, just not to be fouling and giving them some and-ones. I think at times the press gave them some problems.”
First-year Gaylesville coach Corey Head said he thought the Lady Trojans played Cedar Bluff “pretty even.”
“We had a chance (in the fourth quarter), but we missed a layup on the next possession (after Bryson’s three free throws), which could have gotten it to five,” Head said. “Coach Carpenter and his girls played hard too. It’s two pretty evenly matched teams who played very hard. It’s not always pretty, but it’s hard-fought and that’s the way basketball is supposed to be played.
“We actually haven’t played in nearly two weeks because of cancellations and things like that, so it took us a little bit to get going. I thought we competed really hard.”
Shonda Epps added eight points for the Lady Trojans (4-14). Star Mayes finished with five points.
“It’s been a fun group to coach because they competed, and I think we’ve gotten better from day one,” Head said. “I’m looking forward to where we’re going.”
Za’Niya Kyle contributed six points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Tigers, who advance to play top-seeded Skyline on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
“We’ve worked on the press break since we’ve played them. Hopefully we’ll be able to do better against their press,” Carpenter said. “They’re a very gifted team. It’ll be a challenge, but that’s what this time of year is for. We’re glad we get to advance and play. We’ll just try as hard as we can and let the scoreboard tell the tale.”
