Christy Pruett scores for Smoky Mountain in last week's 52-38 loss to Asheville. - Herald photo by Carey Phillips
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Asheville led from start to finish in a 52-38 victory over Smoky Mountain in the Mountain Athletic Conference women's basketball opener Dec. 4 at Asheville.
Danielle Burgin scored 16 points for the Lady Cougars, and Tootie Smith had 13. Stasha Nicholson led SM with 11 points, and Danielle Bowers had 10. The Lady Mustangs committed 34 turnovers. "We had a good defensive effort against a very talented Asheville squad," Coach Cindi Simmons said. "Everyone played hard." Asheville scored the game's first six points, including four by Andrea Brown, and stayed in control. Consecutive baskets by Nicholson cut the gap to 12-10 with 1:13 left in the first period, but the Lady Cougars led 14-10 at the quarter break. Asheville opened the margin to 23-12 with 2:28 remaining in the half, and the margin was 23-14 at intermission. The Lady Cougars broke the game open by scoring the first eight points of the second half. Smith and Jasmine Martin both had four in the spurt for a 31-14 advantage with 6:38 on the clock. Nicholson had four in an 8-2 run as SM closed within 38-28 with 34 seconds to go in the third period. Asheville led 39-28 entering the fourth quartrer and quickly built the lead to 43-28 when Burgin, a 6-4 freshman, scored the first two baskets of the final stanza. |