Lauren Harley (22) draws the foul driving into the lane against Rock Hill Tuesday. (Photo/Kristy Kimball Massey)
BLYTHEWOOD – After 13 lead changes, the Lady Bengals’ basketball squad (2-4) dropped a back and forth game Tuesday night to the Lady Bearcats of Rock Hill. Rock Hill avenged an earlier loss to Blythewood with a 49-46 victory on the road.
The two teams traded blows in the first quarter, but Rock Hill held an 11-7 lead going into the second frame. Blythewood’s junior guard Aubria Greene scored two of the first three baskets to start the second quarter and the Lady Bengals overtook the Bearcats with a 14-0 run. Rock Hill suffered a scoring drought of 6 minutes and 40 seconds during the Blythewood flurry. Greene poured in 8 of her total 14 points in the second quarter and finished second on the team in scoring. Lauren Harley was the squad’s top scorer with 15 points.
At halftime the Lady Bengals held a 25-15 lead; however, Blythewood head coach Steve Inabinet never felt comfortable with the double-digit advantage.
“We knew that was not going to be enough to win the game and they would come out of the half with a different strategy,” he said after the game.
The Lady Bearcats outscored Blythewood 18-5 in the third quarter. Rock Hill’s Anita Jones sunk a breakaway layup halfway through the quarter to give Rock Hill the lead for good at 29-28. Madison Hendrix’s 6 points fueled the Lady Bearcats’ third quarter rally. Hendrix finished with a game-high 18 points.
Inabinet told The Voice after the game that it was Rock Hill’s defensive adjustments that made the difference in the game.
“We felt like when we got up by 10 (at the half) they would come back out a little different and we just were not able to overcome their new strategy,” he said. “We were just not mentally focused enough to overcome what they were trying to do.”
Rock Hill’s strategy included pressuring the ball and providing strong help-side defense, according to Inabinet.
“When we would try to kick it out we just couldn’t make that work tonight and they did a good job of shutting down our offense,” he explained.
Blythewood is back in action at home Friday night when they host Eau Claire. Inabinet said his team will waste no time preparing for the visiting Shamrocks.
“Our main thing is getting refocused and hope we can do a better job at what we do,” he said.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Rock Hill 49, Blythewood 46
RH: 11-4-18-16 – 49
BW: 7-18-5-16 – 46
Individual scoring – Blythewood: Aubria Greene 14, Jasrial Thompson 11, Lauren Harley 15, Amari Lott 6. Rock Hill: Kendall Lahr 8, Monique Stevenson 7, Madison Hendrix 18, Anita Jones 4, Tilandra Staton 6, Modesty Fobbs 5.
