ROCK HILL (Jan. 18, 2017) – The Westwood Lady Redhawks traveled to Rock Hill Tuesday night and proceeded to dominate the South Pointe Stallions from the opening whistle to the final buzzer, on their way to a 72-48 victory.
South Pointe kicked things off with the opening basket to take their first and only lead of the game, one that was short-lived, because on the next possession Mya Belton of Westwood sank a three to seize the lead, and they did not look back.
Four three-pointers in the first quarter helped jumpstart the Westwood offense, and by the end of one they had jumped out to an 18-7 lead. Mya Belton knocked down two of those three-pointers, and she scored 14 in the first half alone.
“We knew we had to get some momentum,” Redhawks’ head coach Gregory Bauldrick said. “They were a very well coached team, they were playing well and they were a little limited in terms of personnel. We couldn’t get into our offensive rhythm, but once we were able to get some outside shots and make the threes that opened it up a little bit for us.”
The already sizable lead continued growing throughout the first half, and the Redhawks took a 34-21 lead into the locker-room, but South Pointe found their second wind in the third. Scarlett Gilmore scored six of her 15 points in the third for South Pointe, and at one point the Stallions trimmed the lead down to five.
“We knew the first four minutes of the third quarter of any ballgame are important,” Bauldrick said. “That’s when you’re going to get their best shot, they’re trying to figure out whether they’ve got a shot or not, so I always try to tell our kids that those first four minutes you’ve got to hold the line or move the line, but if you give them any hope then you’re going to be in for a long fight.”
Then the fourth quarter happened, and Westwood torpedoed any hopes the Stallions had of an electric comeback. Unique Drake exploded in the fourth with a 15-point performance, and the Redhawks outscored South Pointe 31-14 in the final period.
Drake led all scorers with 22, and she was followed by Mya Belton with 16, Maliyah Lockett with 12, and Essence Marshall with 11.
Westwood 72, South Pointe 48
WHS: 18-16-7-31 – 72
SPHS: 7-14-13-14 – 48
Westwood
Unique Drake 22, Mya Belton 16, Maliyah Lockett 12, Essence Marshall 11, Nyah Leveretter 5, Erin Mines 3, Ja’Mari Frederick 2, Alaina Smith 1.
South Pointe
Jamia Blake 16, Scarlett Gilmore 15, Jonna Roberson 7, Shi’Dacia Davis 6, Adisan Funke 4.