PILOT MOUNTAIN — An improbable double-digit comeback in the fourth quarter helped lift North Surry over top-ranked East Surry on Jan. 9.
Greyhound junior Sadie Badgett scored 15 of her 18 total points in the fourth quarter and overtime. This included the game-tying 3-pointer with just two seconds left in regulation.
The Hounds stayed even or a step ahead of the Cards throughout the overtime period. North Surry freshman Kalyn Collins capped off a 19-point performance with a drive to the basket with 16 seconds on the clock, then East Surry’s potential game-winning 3-pointer failed to find the mark as North won 64-62.
Both teams’ performances at the free throw line kept North Surry in the game. The Cardinals shot 14-of-25 (56%) from the line, including 9-of-19 (47%) shooting in the fourth quarter and overtime. North Surry, meanwhile, made 19-of-22 (86%) total foul shots, including 16-of-17 (94%) in the fourth quarter and OT.
Badgett and Collins combined to make 10-of-10 free throws through the first 7:58 of the fourth quarter to help the Greyhounds close the gap. Badgett was fouled when she knocked down her 3-pointer to make it 54-54 with two seconds left in regulation, but missed the free throw that would’ve put the Hounds ahead for the first time since the second quarter.
Badgett did manage to grab her own rebound, her seventh of the game, after the miss and had a chance to put the game away with a buzzer beater that fell short.
Collins made two free throws to start overtime and give the Greyhounds the lead. East Surry’s Bella Hutchens missed her first shot of the double bonus less than 30 seconds later, then East Surry was called for a lane violation on the second shot. East made up for the blunder when Brooklyn Gammons evened the game up at 56.
East missed another two free throws after Reece Niston scored for North, but a Gammons steal led to two more opportunities at the free throw line. Gammons made both to once again even the score.
The trend of North Surry scoring two points and East Surry retaliating continued into the final few seconds of play. Cardinal freshman Izzy Cline went 2-for-2 from the stripe with 27 seconds left in overtime to tie the game at 62, then Collins attacked the basket to put the Hounds up with 16 seconds to play.
East Surry ran up the floor as the home team was out of timeouts. The Cards struggled to get to the basket, eventually settling for a Cline 3-pointer that sailed off target as the final buzzer sounded.
The loss is East Surry’s second of the season and the team’s first since Nov. 19. North Surry’s victory – which served as the team’s fifth consecutive win – breaks East Surry’s eight-game winning streak.
East Surry built up its original lead by pounding the ball inside. The Cardinals used their height advantage and scored all but two of their first-half field goals within 10 feet of the hoop.
Hutchens, who finished with a 20 point, 11 rebound double-double, scored 19 of her points through the first three quarters. Hutchens and Merry Parker Boaz, who scored a game-high 23 points, combined to score 30 points in just the second and third quarters.
A 3-pointer from Badgett cut East Surry’s lead to 28-26 with 6:27 left in the third quarter, then East Surry went on a 13-3 run. East outscored North 19-9 in the third quarter to go up 45-35 at the start of the fourth quarter.
The final quarter of regulation began with Collins making two free throws for North and East’s Maggy Sechrist scoring off an offensive rebound. The Cardinals won the overall rebounding battle 25-22 and grabbed 14 offensive rebounds to the Hounds’ four.
North then went on an 8-0 run over the next 2:11 of game time, consisting of a Niston elbow jumper and six free throws from Badgett. Boaz scored for East Surry to end a dry spell of nearly three minutes, then Badgett turned around and made two more free throws. The Hounds eventually tied things up at 51-51 with 2:40 to play, marking the first tie since the second quarter.
East Surry missed six consecutive free throws after scoring its 51st point. East’s defense kept North Surry from scoring for 2:38 of game time, but the Cards couldn’t make a field goal to cement their victory.
Hutchens ended the streak of missed free throws by knocking down her second of two foul shots with 55 seconds to play, then Boaz went 2-of-2 from the line with 13 seconds to play. North’s Callie Robertson found Badgett in the corner for the game-tying 3-pointer that would force overtime and give North the shot it needed to secure the win.
East Surry drops to 8-2 overall and 2-1 in the Foothills 2A Conference, while North Surry improves to 9-4 overall and 5-0 in conference play.
North Surry, the defending FH2A Conference Champions, now hold full control of first place. Forbush is second at 3-1, followed by East Surry at 2-1 and North Wilkes at 2-2. The bottom three teams are Wilkes Central at 1-4, Surry Central at 0-2 and West Wilkes at 0-3.
Collins led North Surry in scoring with 19 points. Badgett led the way in two categories with seven rebounds and five steals, and she and Collins each had one block. Sarah Mauldin dished out a team-high four assists.
Boaz led East Surry in scoring with 23 points. Hutchens was second in scoring with 20 points while leading the Cards in rebounds (11), assists (4) and blocks (1). Addie Phipps led East in steals with five.
Scoring
North Surry – 10, 13, 12, 19, OT1 10 = 64
East Surry – 11, 17, 17, 9, OT1 8 = 62
NS: Kalyn Collins 19, Sadie Badgett 18, Reece Niston 13, Sarah Mauldin 9, Josie Tompkins 5
ES: Merry Parker Boaz 23, Bella Hutchens 20, Brooklyn Gammons 8, Addie Phipps 4, Grace Phillips 3, Maggy Sechrist 2, Izzy Cline 2
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com