Huge 3Q kept Lady Dawgs perfect
BEARDEN — For a half Friday night at home, it appeared the Bearden girls basketball team’s undefeated record might be put to the test by Maryville.
A third-quarter blitzkrieg promptly erased any upset fears.
The Lady Bulldogs outscored the Lady Rebels 24-5 in the period, pulling away for a 57-37 win Jan. 6. The District 4-4A win kept the BHS overall record perfect at 18-0 while improving to 2-0 in the district.
“We challenged ’em at halftime and they came out and gave a really good effort,” Bearden head coach Justin Underwood said.
Maryville scored the first five points of the game while holding Bearden scoreless for two-and-a-half minutes. Senior 6-foot-3 post Avery Treadwell’s jumper began a 14-0 Lady Bulldogs run, and a Bearden blowout looked likely. But Maryville hung around, as the half ended 26-18 BHS. It was still either team’s game.
Then came the third quarter. In barely more than four minutes, the Lady Bulldogs outscored Maryville 13-2, and with 3:44 to go it was 39-20.
Bearden junior wing Lindsay Wilson, who had the final four points of the 13-2 run, scored 12 in the period en route to 13 for the game. Freshman Natalya Hodge, Bearden’s aggressive, speedy point guard, got nine in the period, 15 overall.
“In the first half we were getting down on ourselves because no one could make a shot,” Wilson said. “We knew how we could play and we played up to that potential in the third quarter.
“Lindsay hit some big shots in the third, and her rebounding and pace of play did some good things,” Underwood said.
Treadwell led all scorers with 18, 15 in the first half. Zoee Harrison was high for Maryville with nine.
“I think if we string together the possessions and the details and the spurts then we have an opportunity to compete against teams like that,” said Taylor Clark, Maryville’s first-year head coach.
Big holiday wins
Bearden had two impressive wins during the holidays: 52-33 over Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett at the Ktown Classic Thursday, Dec. 22 at CAK, and a 59-39 win versus Beaven Dam (Wisconsin) at the State Farm Classic at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro.
Beaver Dam has been one of the best teams in Wisconsin in recent years, having won three state championships.
“Our defense carried us through those games,” Underwood said. “Our kids played really well.”
