WHS girls rally past Hibriten
by Steve Behr Sports Editor
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com
Watauga girls' coach Klay Anderson made a statement last Friday that when his players are not playing at an acceptable level, they won't play.
He sent them to the bench.
Anderson was very pleased when his Pioneers breezed to a 12-point lead in the first quarter. He was not happy with how Hibriten rallied in the second. However, a strong fourth quarter lifted the Pioneers to a 46-37 victory over Hibriten, keeping Watauga from being an unlikely upset victim.
Watauga, playing its third road game in as many days, and its ninth game in 18 days, looked ready to have an easy night when it took a 16-4 first quarter lead and an 18-6 advantage at the quarter's end.
However, Watauga scored just two points in the second quarter against a Hibriten team that has not won in the NWC game this year. That earned the starting lineup a ticket to the bench.
Hibriten, mostly behind the 10 points scored by Panthers guard Briana Wilder, outscored Watauga 14-2 and climbed into a 20-20 halftime tie.
Wilder finished with a game-high 23 points and could have had more had she been more accurate from the foul line, having made just 4-of-16 from the line. Kesha Corpening and April Harris each scored seven points for the Panthers.
Watauga fell behind 31-28 heading into the fourth quarter, but scored the first 10 points of the fourth quarter to pull away. Watauga led 42-37 and scored t he final four points of the game on a pair of foul shots from Shelby Gilliam and Katherine Mayhew.
Mayhew ended up making all four of her attempts in the game and finished with six points. Nicole Tesh led the Pioneers with 14 points and Christina Rees scored 10 points with the help of two 3-point baskets.
Gilliam added two more 3-point baskets and finished with eight points.
Watauga takes on Fred T. Foard Tuesday, the second time in less than a week Watauga faced the Tigers. Watauga beat Foard 71-64 last Wednesday at Foard in the second of the Pioneers' three-game road trip.
Watauga girls 46, Hibriten 37
Hibriten
Corpening 1 4-8 7, Harris 3 0-0 7, Sumpter 0 0-0 0, Wilder 9 4-16 23, Curtis 0 0-0 0, Bolger 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 8-24 37.
Watauga
Dunnigan 2 0-2 4, Woods 1 0-0 2, Wright 1 0-0 2, Gilliam 2 2-2 8, Tesh 6 2-6 14, Mayhew 1 4-4 6, Rees 4 0-2 10, Corbin 0 0-2 0, Alford 0 0-0 0, Eggers 0 0-0 0, McKinney 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 8-18 46.
Watauga 18 2 8 18 - 46
Hibriten 6 14 11 6 - 37
3-point goals-Hibriten 3 (Corpening, Harris, Wilder), Watauga 4 (Gilliam 2, Rees 2). Turnovers-Watauga 21, Hibriten 18. Total fouls-Watauga 15, Watauga 18. Technical fouls-None.
sports@wataugademocrat.com
Watauga girls' coach Klay Anderson made a statement last Friday that when his players are not playing at an acceptable level, they won't play.
He sent them to the bench.
Anderson was very pleased when his Pioneers breezed to a 12-point lead in the first quarter. He was not happy with how Hibriten rallied in the second. However, a strong fourth quarter lifted the Pioneers to a 46-37 victory over Hibriten, keeping Watauga from being an unlikely upset victim.
Watauga, playing its third road game in as many days, and its ninth game in 18 days, looked ready to have an easy night when it took a 16-4 first quarter lead and an 18-6 advantage at the quarter's end.
However, Watauga scored just two points in the second quarter against a Hibriten team that has not won in the NWC game this year. That earned the starting lineup a ticket to the bench.
Hibriten, mostly behind the 10 points scored by Panthers guard Briana Wilder, outscored Watauga 14-2 and climbed into a 20-20 halftime tie.
Wilder finished with a game-high 23 points and could have had more had she been more accurate from the foul line, having made just 4-of-16 from the line. Kesha Corpening and April Harris each scored seven points for the Panthers.
Watauga fell behind 31-28 heading into the fourth quarter, but scored the first 10 points of the fourth quarter to pull away. Watauga led 42-37 and scored t he final four points of the game on a pair of foul shots from Shelby Gilliam and Katherine Mayhew.
Mayhew ended up making all four of her attempts in the game and finished with six points. Nicole Tesh led the Pioneers with 14 points and Christina Rees scored 10 points with the help of two 3-point baskets.
Gilliam added two more 3-point baskets and finished with eight points.
Watauga takes on Fred T. Foard Tuesday, the second time in less than a week Watauga faced the Tigers. Watauga beat Foard 71-64 last Wednesday at Foard in the second of the Pioneers' three-game road trip.
Watauga girls 46, Hibriten 37
Hibriten
Corpening 1 4-8 7, Harris 3 0-0 7, Sumpter 0 0-0 0, Wilder 9 4-16 23, Curtis 0 0-0 0, Bolger 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 8-24 37.
Watauga
Dunnigan 2 0-2 4, Woods 1 0-0 2, Wright 1 0-0 2, Gilliam 2 2-2 8, Tesh 6 2-6 14, Mayhew 1 4-4 6, Rees 4 0-2 10, Corbin 0 0-2 0, Alford 0 0-0 0, Eggers 0 0-0 0, McKinney 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 8-18 46.
Watauga 18 2 8 18 - 46
Hibriten 6 14 11 6 - 37
3-point goals-Hibriten 3 (Corpening, Harris, Wilder), Watauga 4 (Gilliam 2, Rees 2). Turnovers-Watauga 21, Hibriten 18. Total fouls-Watauga 15, Watauga 18. Technical fouls-None.