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Balanced attack carries Lady Mustangs past East
Five players scored in double figures as Smoky Mountain claimed a 70-50 Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball win on Jan. 15 at East Henderson.
Cayla Cucumber led the way with 18 points followed by Felicia Johnson with 15, Brittany Gilbert with 12, Jordan Cagle with 11 and Tasha Junaluska with 10.
Krysti Fisher and Jessica Case both had nine points for the Lady Eagles.
“It was another conference road win,” Coach Cindi Simmons said. “They challenged us early in the second half, and we responded the way we want to. They shot the ball well at times.”
Smoky Mountain’s Tasha Junaluska takes the ball to the basket in last week’s 70-50 victory at East Henderson. She had 10 points and was one of five Lady Mustangs to score in double figures. Also pictured is Kayla Cooper (21). – Herald photo by Carey Phillips
Simmons noted that not only was the scoring balanced but so were the shot attempts. Four of the five players in double figures had 11 field goal attempts, and the fifth tried 10.
East trailed just 34-26 when Case scored in the first minute of the second half.
The Lady Mustangs answered with 10 straight points to lead 44-26 after Gilbert’s fast break layup with 4:57 on the clock.
Kayla Cooper put SM up 51-30 with 2:46 to go in the third period, and it was 53-36 at the quarter break.
Junaluska’s three-pointer resulted in the game’s largest lead, 70-44, with 1:38 to play.
Nine straight points, all but two by Cucumber, gave the Lady Mustangs a 17-6 lead with 2:18 remaining in the first quarter, which ended with the Lady Mustangs on top 19-13.
The biggest margin of the half was 30-16 when Johnson scored off an inbounds pass with 4:35 on the clock.
The margin was 34-24 at intermission.
Cucumber made eight of 11 field goals, including a three-pointer, and a foul shot. Johnson was seven of 11 from the floor with a free throw. Gilbert scored all her points from the field. Cagle connected on five field goals, including a three-pointer. Junaluska made three field goals, including two treys, and two foul shots.
Cooper added four points.
Cooper pulled down 10 rebounds while Johnson had seven boards and four steals.
Junaluska handed out eight assists. Gilbert dished out seven assists and came up with four steals. Kelly Childress had four assists.
The Lady Mustangs made 47.7 percent of their field goal tries.
SM won the JV game 61-38. Brooke Parton scored 12 points, and Stormy DeLucia had 10.
The Lady Mustangs led at quarter breaks by scores of 17-6, 28-16 and 44-26.
“It was a tremendous effort from the entire team,” Coach Ollin Dunford said. “Our defense caused a lot of havoc. We had worked on our defense in practice, and it was rewarded. The girls stepped up and played well.”
He singled out Alex Briggs for her performance.
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