MVP Hodge has 35; tourney #1 BHS
Lady Ads take 2nd with 4 All-tourney, Lady Dawgs also 4
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The Bearden Lady Bulldogs celebrated a District 4-4A Tournament championship at Hardin Valley Academy Monday night, Feb. 24, after a 56-43 win against rival Farragut. - Bearden team photo by Alan Sloan/ Farragut action photos courtesy of Tony Cox
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Lady Ads junior wing KJ McNealy - Bearden team photo by Alan Sloan/ Farragut action photos courtesy of Tony Cox
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Lady Ads senior guard Jaci Neubert - Bearden team photo by Alan Sloan/ Farragut action photos courtesy of Tony Cox
HARDIN VALLEY — It’s often said in sports the best players step up in the big games.
In the girls’ championship game of the 4-4A District Tournament at Hardin Valley Academy, Natalya Hodge exemplified that axiom. And then some.
The junior point guard, named tournament Most Valuable Player, poured in 35 points to lead No. 3 state-ranked Bearden High (29-4) to a 56-43 win over archrival Farragut Monday night, Feb. 24.
“We knew we were gonna come out here and play our style of play and just hoop,” Hodge said. “That’s all we needed to do was hoop.”
Time and again the Lady Bulldogs’ “hooping” — led by Hodge — held off Farragut’s attempts to come back after the Lady Admirals fell behind early.
“They beat us; they played better than we did,” Jason Mayfield, FHS head coach, said. “We had a bad start to the game. We fought our way back but couldn’t get the lead and be effective (enough) on offense.”
Senior guard Kendall Anne Murphy scored 15 for Bearden. Junior guard KJ McNealy got 14 for Farragut. Lady Ads sophomore post Trinity Curry added 12 points.
BHS jumped to a 7-0 lead barely two minutes into the game, and led 13-5 with 3:58 left in the first quarter. Farragut cut it to four, 15-11. with 1:22 left, but Bearden closed the quarter with seven straight to lead 22-11 at the end of one.
The Lady Bulldogs led by 13 in the second period, and appeared to have the game in hand. But seven straight by FHS made it 29-23 with 1:44 left in the half. Bearden led at the break 32-25.
When Curry scored four in a row midway through the third, the BHS lead was cut to 40-36 with 4:09 left. It looked like the game could go either way.
Hodge promptly drained a pair of threes, and the lead was 10, 46-36. The third ended with Bearden ahead 46-38.
Curry’s lay-up with 6:07 left in the game kept the Lady Admirals within eight, 48-40. Six straight by the Lady Bulldogs — five by Hodge — put the game away. Farragut scored only five points in the final quarter.
“Obviously she played fantastic,” BHS head coach Justin Underwood said of Hodge. “She continues to impress in situations where different defenses are thrown at her. She balls and she puts her heart into it.”
“We gotta put this behind us and move on,” Mayfield said. “Friday’s (Region 2-4A) game is more important, and each game after that.”
Curry and McNealy made the All-Tournament Team from Farragut, as did guards Jaci Neubert and Annie Priest. Murphy, Aisha Patel, Theola Mills also were named from the Lady Bulldogs.
Bearden will host Karns, No. 4 seed from District 3-4A, beginning at 7 p.m. in the quarterfinal round of the Region 2-4A Tournament Friday, Feb. 28. Farragut (22-9) will host No. 3 seed Powell in another quarterfinal at 7 p.m., Friday.
