WINNSBORO (Dec. 21, 2016) – The Richard Winn Lady Eagles obliterated the South Aiken Baptist Crusaders in a 46-28 thumping on the second and final day of RWA’s Holiday Hoops Booster Club Tournament. The win was a nice recovery for Richard Winn, who dropped their first game of the exhibition-style tournament to Calhoun Academy, 45-36.
A dazzling defensive performance put the Lady Eagles in the driver’s seat from the opening whistle to the final buzzer. Richard Winn did not allow a field-goal until five minutes into the game, and the Lady Crusaders managed just four first-quarter points, en route to a dismal 12-point half.
“I was very impressed,” Lady Eagles’ head coach Jessie Stidham said. “We had a rough outing last game, last night against Calhoun, and so we set goals for each quarter, and they met those goals, and they had a very good defensive night.”
Alyssa Atkerson swatted a potential buzzer-beating shot back into the face of a Crusader shooter to add to the Crusaders’ offensive woes before halftime. Atkerson was one of three Eagles in double digits, with 13 points.
Meredith Pope had 10 and Calee Thigpen put up 12 points, a mark that matched her jersey number.
“All of them played as one unit tonight, and that’s all I can ask for,” Stidham said. “Not anyone in particular; it’s a team effort,”
South Aiken Baptist came out in the third with their best quarter of the game, and after only scoring 12 in the first half managed to put up a 12-spot in just the third. The only problem for the Lady Crusaders, however, was they were still outdone by the Lady Eagles’ 13-point period.
Once again, Richard Winn’s defense locked the Crusaders in a vise. The clingy Lady Eagle defense held them down to another four-point quarter.
“There’s always stuff we can improve on,” Stidham said. “Ball movement on offense, just better passes and sprinting back more on defense could be some those. There’s always room for improvement.”
Richard Winn 46, South Aiken Baptist 28
RWA: 11-9-13-13 – 46
SAB: 4-8-12-4 – 28
Richard Winn
Alyssa Atkerson-13, Calee Thigpen-12, Meredith Pope-10, Taylor Spires-7, Lydia Wilder-4.
South Aiken Baptist
Katie Minichan-19, Bria Sanders-5, Halle Moseley-2, Cassidy Salas-2.
