|
Lady Mustangs take over first place as DeGraffenreid returns
Smoky Mountain star point guard Cetera DeGraffenreid returned to action Jan. 15, and it was almost as if she had never been gone.
Playing for the first time since an elbow injury Dec. 27, DeGraffenreid scored 18 of her 25 points in the first half helping the Lady Mustangs to a 73-58 victory over West Henderson at the SM gym. She also contributed six steals, five assists and five rebounds.
Cayla Cucumber added 15 points, and Ashley Robinson had 12 as the Lady Mustangs took over sole possession of first place in the Western Athletic Conference basketball standings.
Lindsey Pate led the Lady Falcons with 22 points, and Laura Ann Huskey had 17.
“I was pleased with the way we came out and played early offensively,” Coach Cindi Simmons said. “It was good to have Cetera back in the lineup. She worked hard to get back.”
Kelli Woodard’s inside basket gave SM the lead for good, 8-6, with 5:10 to go in the first quarter. Cucumber had four in an 8-1 spurt to end the period making it 20-11.
DeGraffenreid’s three-pointer extended the margin to 29-15 with 5:47 remaining in the half. Cucumber’s inside basket built the lead to 38-21 at the 1:17 mark, and the Lady Mustangs led 38-22 at intermission.
Three-pointers by DeGraffenreid and Haggard on consecutive possessions started a 10-2 spurt, capped by Cucumber’s two free throws, for a 54-30 advantage with 2:52 to go in the third stanza. SM was up 58-37 entering the fourth quarter.
The game’s biggest lead was 60-37 on Robinson’s inside basket with 6:52 on the clock.
The Lady Mustangs finished the game with 19 steals and 16 assists.
“We did a good job looking into the post,” Simmons said.
Three of DeGraffenreid’s nine field goals were treys, and she was four of four from the line. Cucumber hit six field goals and three free throws. Robinson made four field goals and four foul shots.
Haggard netted eight points, Woodard followed with seven, Tasha Junaluska scored five, and Laury Brown made a free throw.
Woodard was the top rebounder with six. Haggard and Cucumber both had five.
Haggard also handed out five assists while Junaluska had four assists and four steals.
West Henderson won the JV game 38-30. The Lady Falcons led 9-7 after the first quarter but trailed 19-17 at halftime. West was on top 29-22 entering the fourth period.
SM’s Sarah Newbold had eight points.
“We went up against a team that was fundamentally sound,” Coach Ollin Dunford said. “They executed both offensively and defensively better than we did, but we’re going to grow from it.”
|
